


Eternal Skies

by DinRedfire



Category: Eternal Arcadia | Skies of Arcadia
Genre: And so does everyone in the Armada, Canon Divergence, Everyone in the Crew matter, Gen, Multi, Novelization but with some twists, Paving the way for a sequel, The main trio's relationship is the healthiest and you can't change my mind
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:00:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 31,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24381715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DinRedfire/pseuds/DinRedfire
Summary: There were three factions: The Valuan Empire, the Black Pirates and the Blue Rogues. A girl on a mission ends up in the middle of it all. Great adventure unfolds and the world opens up to them. The tale of this girl and two blue rogues has been rewritten countless times, but this is much bigger than just the three of them. Is the future set in stone, or will they at last move on to the end of their adventures and find what really lies beyond the sunset? May those who accept their fate be granted happiness, may those who defy their fate be granted glory.
Comments: 28
Kudos: 17





	1. She Looked Like a Princess

**Author's Note:**

> I have a sequel in mind for Skies of Arcadia but I feel that in order to get to it, I have to write my own Novelization to build toward it. Canon divergence and foreshadowing galore toward said sequel. This is a long-term project but I hope people will stick around to see it through! See note below for a special thanks!

By all definitions, Admiral Alfonso’s job was easy. Mid Ocean was a nation-less area populated with small island communities: fishermen, merchants, and the like. Simple people for the most part. Of course like in every known part of the skies, they encountered small-time air pirates. Lowborn scoundrels who attack vessels and steal whatever scraps they could get their grubby hands on; they were nothing the invincible Armada couldn’t handle.

It wasn’t rare to fall into skirmishes with air pirates in these areas. However, their wooden ships were so primitive they often ended up sinking in the deep sky below, getting crushed in that bottomless darkness before the ruffians could even do any real damage. Other times, the Armada concealed the bulk of their crew in the decks below to encourage the bolder pirates to come aboard. These rogues were then overwhelmed and captured, the Armada demonstrating their superiority to the world at large. Arresting notorious raiders and bringing them to the Valuan Coliseum often meant prestige and grand rewards. Simple work for high gains.

Alfonso smirked to himself as he tilted his chin, emptying a glass of loqua, only of the finest quality. Tonight would be another easy job. His patrol shift was drawing to an end, the dark blue skies slowly changing hue, indicating the sunrise in the coming hour. It was around that time that the vessel traced its course toward homeland, Alfonso’s day peacefully ending as Mid Ocean’s daytime traffic began.

Feeling in a particularly good mood, partly induced by the drink slowly numbing his nerves, the admiral poured himself another glass.

‘’ Your Excellency… Is it wise to drink so much?” His Vice-Captain piped up.

‘’ It will take more than that to make me even slightly tipsy.’’ Alfonso guzzled down the sparkling golden loqua. Most nobles of his station would have savored the fine vintage, but instead, he drank greedily, wanting only the pleasant tingle on his tongue and the warmth in his extremities.

‘’ ...I thought Vice-Captains were meant to follow orders instead of questioning their superiors.’’ He added, his tone sour as he glared at him.

Alfonso was not an intimidating man by himself. Handsome and elegant, his frame was slim. At a glance, he hardly looked like a man who possessed any real physical strength. He was, however, the last remaining son of the Valdez family, the duke of his own keep, and his birthright protected by close ties to the Imperial lineage. His influence alone could determine someone’s life or death.

‘’ O-Of course! My apologies, your Grace!”

The Duke of Valdez smirked with satisfaction. He was sitting aboard one of Valua's finest vessels, he was one of Valua's highest-ranking officers, and his crew was kept firmly under his thumb. How could it get any better than this?

Alfonso gazed out onto the horizon, surveying his skies in smug satisfaction. He raised his glass again to drink when something caught his eye. It was just a blip, hidden against the dark blue of the deep skies below, but it was unmistakable. As if the Moons themselves were showing him a sign, he saw the silver metal of a small ship, highlighted by the soft moonlight, for just a moment before it disappeared into the darkness below.

  
  


* * *

Leaning over the glowing control panel, Fina gazed into the great abyss. How strange... The void always felt so distant. She thought, for a moment, how easy it was to grow blind to something so immense. And yet here she was, surrounded in deep blue darkness, making her feel small and so far away from home. She averted her eyes, feeling as if staring any longer would make the sky swallow her whole. She felt a thrilling sense of wonder and fear in equal part in this new world. How often she had read about and heard the elder’s teachings of the world of Arcadia… Now she was there, the warnings of her guardians still echoing in her mind. The silver moon was smaller than she had ever seen it, growing further with each passing moment. But knowing it was there, high above in the sky, gave her some sense of security. It felt like the elders were watching over her.

Alone, sailing in a world unknown would have had anyone insecure and afraid more than anything, but her duties pressed her forward. As her green eyes took in the sight of the Mid Ocean, she saw a shadow in the distance.

‘’ Ah! A sailing ship! He used to tell me about these all the time…” Fina muttered to herself, a ghost of a smile forming on her lips.

It was just as majestic as he had shown in books and his enthusiastic descriptions. It was still far away, peacefully navigating the skies, winds swelling its sails. Fina reluctantly looked away. She had a mission to accomplish- and someone to find. That thought made her heart ache.

“How long has it been...Seven years?” She murmured to herself.

She didn’t have time to let her thoughts linger, that vague silhouette forming in her mind dissipating like dust as she realized she wasn’t alone.

A vessel she numbly recognized as a battleship, overwhelming her own ship, was right behind her, sailing in increased speed. There was no way it didn’t see her.

‘’No! ...They’re chasing me?!”

Panic rose as she returned to her control panel, it lit up as she entered the command to increase speed. Something so big couldn’t match her vessel-- At least that’s what she thought, but her ears ringed as a thunderous noise was heard, forcing her to turn on her heels once again. They were firing at her! She barely had time to be indignant at the injustice of it all. Her ship was stealthy and swift but lacking in the offensive department. There was nothing she could do to fight back against such a giant.

She had just begun her journey and she felt her knees buckle as her ship jolted before she could hold on to anything. Her scalp met violently against the control board. Her vision dimmed as the pain throbbed through her skull, the ship’s shadow coming ever closer. All she could do was pray as her consciousness faded.

* * *

  
  


Aika grinned impishly as they were closing in on their target. The night had been uneventful and she almost thought they would return empty-handed. They didn’t just pick any ships to raid. Merchants and civilians were out of the questions, and when targeting armed vessels there was the gamble of if the reward was worth the stakes. Dyne of the Blue Storm was bold and loved challenges but never overly reckless. Seeing such a ship alone in these skies, no doubt filled with riches and much-welcomed resources?

That Valuan frigate was just begging to be looted. Aika was at her post, ready to maneuver the cannons along with the other raiders. At the chief gunner’s signal, they engaged the ship.

“Lower Hull successfully hit!” Aika cheered, ready for the Valuans’ responses… which strangely enough didn’t come.

“What, did we really take them by surprise?”, Boris the Gunner arched an eyebrow.

Matthew the Deckhand brought more cannonballs, yawning in the process.

“Their gunners fell asleep on duty?” He ventured a guess, rubbing lazily at one of his eyes.

“Haha, you’re confusing them with yourself! Sounds like we’re boarding them!” Aika grabbed her boomerang, running to the deck.

Knowing Vyse was in the crow’s nest, she didn’t have a moment to lose. Her best friend never passed a raiding opportunity, and never did she. Ever since childhood they were near inseparable and made one great team during their heists.

As she ran to the deck, she glanced up seeing her friend’s shadow as he jumped from the nest, without a care in the world. Anyone not knowing him would have gasped in horror at that stunt, but all Aika did was watch in amusement as Vyse ziplined along with one of the rope, connecting the two vessels, using the hook on his cutlass’ pommel.

“Tsk, show-off.” She muttered with a smirk before her eyes widened in realization.

“Hey wait for me!!!” Aika yelled, not a moment sooner as soldiers stormed the deck.

“Vyse, you left without me! I’m not going to let you have all the fun!”

The soldiers surrounding them were no doubt scowling under their helmets, their swords ready. Her smile impish, Aika addressed them.

‘’Oh hi, I’m Aika! I’m a Blue Rogue like Vyse...And we’re robbing you.” She added, like an afterthought.

Young as they were, Vyse and Aika were born and raised among air pirates. She had been on ships since as soon as she could walk and was allowed on missions for nearly seven years now… They knew the routine. Piss off a few Valuans, fight them off and more than anything, steal their treasures! Aika loved her job.

‘’Taking us all by yourselves? You’re either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid! We’ll be tossing you overboard!”

“Go ahead and try!” Vyse taunted.

They exchanged a complicit gaze before the young man charged ahead. As he was the one fighting close-ranged, he was always the one opening the hostilities while Aika covered him.

Soon came the clashes of metal, red blade against yellow, the colors of their respective equipped moonstones shining under the searchlight nearly blinding them, the static electricity almost visible to the naked eye.

While Vyse held off his assailant’s weapon, he used his second cutlass, slightly shorter than his main one, effectively planting it in the unprotected part of the soldier’s leg. The man backed off with a yelp as others were ready to close in on the blue rogue.

“Not so fast!” Aika called out, her boomerang thrown in a graceful green arc.

As if on cue, Vyse buckled his knees, letting the weapon pass over him. He was not the only one though, by all appearance, Aika’s attack was a miss.

The soldier merely snorted.

“You fool.”

“Yourself” Aika grinned as the Valuan unceremoniously face-planted, the boomerang resuming its course and returning to its rightful owner.

“I thought they had boomerang contests in Valua, why do they always fall for it?”

Another enemy down in one fell swoop as Vyse got up from his position.

“There’s no point in resisting. Throw down your weapons and hand over your ship. ” Vyse spoke up.

They were pirates but not bloodthirsty, no matter what the enemy. Of course, even their hands were not stain-free, but for what it was worth, they were not the ones pursuing battles to the death. Here was hoping these men wouldn’t do anything stupid.

“Imbeciles! What do the two of you think you can do against the five of us? Take ‘ em out.”

Aika bit her lips as the sound of gunshot resonated, the man had spoken his last words.

“I think you miscounted, I only see four of you.”

There was Captain Dyne himself, gun still pointed and smoking.

“Dad!” Vyse exclaimed.

Aika herself bit back a sigh of relief. Reinforcements were always a welcome sight, although Vyse was going to hear about the whole ‘Dad’ thing again.

“We’ll take care of these guys. Make your way to the bridge and shut down the engines. ...And when we’re out here, remember it’s _Captain_ , not _Dad_. Got it?”

Yep, she knew it. Vyse only smiled apologetically.

“Aye Aye _Captain._ Heh… Aika, shall we go introduce ourselves to the captain of this ship?”

The redhead's eyes lit up maliciously.

“I’m ready when you are!”

* * *

  
  


Alfonso stormed out of the bridge, heels slamming loudly against the metal floor. Away from the eyes of the court and his men, his graceful swan-like walk was gone. All his elegance and calm beauty were replaced by the hunched angry walk, not unlike a displeased child.

"Moons damn them all!" He cursed, his turquoise blue eyes wild.

Of all the air pirates to raid him… It had to be _HIM._ Dyne of the Blue Storm was not a stranger to Valua, far from it. He reigned atop all other raiders' names on every wanted list.

A Lower City scum could become a Nouveau Riche just with the Bounty on Dyne's head. He made a fool of many officers, even the most capable men of the country, and yet always slipped through their fingers for _years_.

And now… That same Dyne attacked _Him_ at the worst timing possible.

Alfonso leaned, though slouched probably was the more appropriate word, against the cool metal wall. His head felt hot and was throbbing with the beginning of a headache. For a few moments more, Alfonso forgot himself and his position.

Moons, he needed relief and quiet. He took in a deep breath, calming himself. These soldiers belonged to him. They were specifically bred to die for him should the need arrive. This ship was just that… A ship. He could easily get another and more puppets to defend him.

Under their helmets, everyone looked the same to him, pawns to be replaced. The natural order of the world. Even in his hazed mind, he tried to remind himself of who he was. He couldn't remain slumped against the wall and risk being seen, he had to keep decorum.

With a grunt, he straightened up, brushing his flaxen hair out of his eyes with a flip of his hand. His hand fixed his cravat, his oval red diamond brooch now perfectly vertical on it.

He became the great admiral Alfonso again. Just in time for his Vice-Captain to catch up to him, bringing their most precious luggage yet.

Alfonso blinked and squinted at the white form limp on the Vice-Captain's shoulders.

"I trust that is what we were looking for?" Alfonso said, still squinting but not making a step closer.

"Yes sir! The girl has been knocked unconscious but she's otherwise unharmed. We couldn't successfully capture her vessel, however…"

Alfonso dismissively waved a hand, feeling the discomfort of his headache again.

"It matters not. We are leaving the ship behind. We only needed the girl."

Alfonso stepped forward, his aide moving out of the way. As he passed by, he saw the girl's face, eyes still closed.

A young woman, only slightly nearing adulthood. The Duke couldn't help but frown, not stopping moving as he headed for the lifeboat.

He hoped whatever knowledge the Empire sought was worth kidnapping a _child_.

His thoughts were interrupted before they could form further, disorderly steps below catching his attention.

"Well... Well… So, air pirates have decided to...infest my ship."  
  


* * *

Aika raised her head as she heard the delicate lilt. The voice was elegant, just like the man it belonged to, but what could have been otherwise handsome features were twisted with disgust. She didn’t have to wonder who it was, everything about this man screamed importance and bloated ego… and gold. They had found the captain.

“I am Alfonso Destreza, Duke of Valdez, cherished son of Valua’s most distinguished family, and an Admiral of the Imperial Armada.”

Aika’s eyes were probably as round as gold coins by now. They really hit a great prize. She couldn’t help but snort as he exposed his title and name. Had they been Black Pirates, he would have made himself a prime target for ransom. Were nobles all this naive? She threw a glance at Vyse, her friend unsmiling and not returning the gaze.

He seemed entirely focused on something else. And Aika soon found out what, her brow furrowing. Behind the so-called admiral stood an armored man holding a girl as if she was just a sack of flour, unconscious too. It was enough to make her blood boil.

“Who’s the girl? I never thought someone of your… stature would stoop to kidnapping.” Vyse’s disgust was very apparent in his voice.

Aika’s hand was already at her boomerang. On Vyse’s signal, she wouldn’t hesitate to throw it at that fop. She grimaced at the thought of what could happen to that poor girl if they let that guy get away with her.

"Hah! You're very observant for a Rogue. However, I cannot waste my time dealing with you. I simply must get going. I think I shall have you exterminated like the pests that you are."

Moons did that man get on her nerves already! He raised his arm and men came rushing to his aid.

"Can't even fight your own battle?! Coward!" Vyse yelled but the admiral didn't spare him any more attention. The alarm was sounded, indicating their presence in the area.

"This is bad! Captain Dyne is still fighting off the others on the deck! We can't take down the entire crew!"

Aika parried with her boomerang the blade of a sword while Vyse was busy fighting off two others.

"I got a plan but...We got to get rid of those guys and hurry upstairs!"

Aika back-stepped, hitting the soldier back with a spin, the helmet making a dull ringing sound. That was enough to knock him out cold.

"Got it!"

Vyse successfully hit the soldiers, his cutlass forming an x as he struck them down.

He turned toward the remaining lone soldier, pointing a blood-stained cutlass at him.

"They're still alive...But I'd hurry if I were you. What will you choose?"

"...Dammit…"

The soldier hurriedly got to his knees, applying pressure to the wound of his companion. Vyse made a sigh of relief. He turned toward the unconscious one, undoing the armor and helmet.

"Already robbing them naked, Vyse?" Aika raised an eyebrow.

"Ha. Ha. That's part of the plan actually, you'll see. Let's go Aika!"

They hurried up the stairs, alarms blaring, just in time to see the "brave" commander making his retreat.

"H-How did you defeat my soldiers?! ...No matter, if you want my ship that badly you can keep it! I'll just get another."

"Right and let you take that girl?! You… Get your fancy butt back here!" Aika raised her fist, ready to bruise the admiral's oh so pretty little face.

" I don't see how that's any of you thieves' business. I am very busy, I simply have no time to be dealing with you. Now if you'll excuse me…"

He retreated in the corridor, closing the door behind him. Vyse patted her raised armed hand.

"All these ironclads look the same, the lifeboat bay is still a walk away, let's get that alarm turned off." As he said that, he donned the breastplate, successfully hiding his sailor shirt and put on the helmet.

Aika's eyes widened.

"Oh! I see."

The alarm was right next to where Alfonso was, all Vyse had to do was turn off the switch. Aika hid behind one of the supply boxes. Hurried footsteps were soon heard.

"Who turned off the alarm?! Where are the raiders?"

"They ran off toward the deck! I'm taking these Sacri Crystals, they injured one of us!" Vyse's voice came muffled by the helmet.

"Blasted air pirates!... To the deck!"

Aika had to bite the inside of her cheek as she watched the soldiers pass them by.

"Make sure you let the others know!" Vyse waved, pocketing some of those sacri crystals.

As soon as they got away he took off the helmet, forehead already damps with sweat.

"Phew… How do they endure wearing that stuff?"

Aika helped him take off the breastplate, carelessly tossing it aside.

"Vyse you're crazy you know? I can't believe that worked!"

"It won't work for long if we remain here, let's catch that guy!"

Of course, the door he went through was a no-go.

"Figures, the bastard locked it from behind," Vyse muttered under his breath.

"Over there! There’s another way out!" Aika moved toward the door on the far right, leading to an outside ladder. She blinked as the first rays of the sun peeked through the clouds, shining into her eyes.

* * *

Alfonso’s eyes squinted as he was greeted by the light of the morning sun. By the time daylight shone in Mid Oceans he was usually back in Valua, having a last drink before drifting off to sleep in his manor. How could the situation devolve so quickly? A groan unfitting him escaped his lips as he rubbed his eyes with a white-gloved hand.

He had feigned the greatest indifference and calmness in front of these rogues. The very figure of being in control but the truth was catching up to him fast. His head was throbbing and his heart pounding. He showed every sign of being inebriated and he was about to abandon his ship to ruffians. His dear mother was probably rolling in her grave.

When she, Valentina Valdez the Crow of the armada, passed away, she left Alfonso with everything, her riches, her estate… and an extremely high standard to fit. She was as powerful as she was graceful. As feared as she was respected. Even the Lord Admiral himself had admitted Valua had suffered a great loss with her premature death.

Alfonso could feel bile burning at his throat as he was overtaken by creeping anxiety and a growing desperate need for another drink. He was still in control. He had the girl… But he had to keep his honor. No matter what.

His turquoise eyes darkened as he raised them to look at the puppet serving him, blabbing its mouth again.

"Your Excellency, the sun is up and visibility is good. The preparations for your escape have been completed."

"Good work. I have finished my preparation as well..." Alfonso’s voice came expressionless, almost mechanical, his hand on the hilt of his saber, drawing it on the unsuspecting pawn.

"..Preparations to dispose of a traitor."

* * *

The two blue rogues reached the lifeboat bay without troubles, the ship’s hull opening for the admiral to escape. The hostage was lying carelessly on the ground. Aika hurried in concealed steps, lowering her body to reach the unconscious girl. A quick look over to her and a thumb up in Vyse’s directions was enough to give him more relief. They were two against two, one unarmed man, the condition was definitely into their favor.

What Vyse saw next, however, stunned him into disbelief.

"I cannot tell the Empress that I lost my ship to the Air Pirates in a fair fight. I am going to need a scapegoat and you’ll do quite nicely. To keep my glorious reputation from being tarnished, you must be sacrificed..."

"N...no! You can’t do this!"

Vyse’s eyes widened in horror as he watched as Alfonso stepped toward the man, his sword pointed at him. But he didn't strike him down, no… He just kept on walking, just like how Black pirates made people walk the plank.

"This is not fair, Sir! P-Please!"

" Shut Up! Shutup!Shutup!Shut!Up! You miserable marionette! " The admiral’s delicate voice had morphed into a cold and animalistic growl.

He advanced again, the man back-stepping. In front of him waited the blade, behind him, a bottomless abyss. In his final moments Vyse could see the man turn his armored head toward him, the outside pressure of the wind toppling his already precarious balance, the ground slipping away from him.

...Until the man fell to his doom, crushed by the air pressure below if he didn’t suffocate first.

And the admiral… merely gloated about it, his shoulders shaking with what Vyse assumed to be laughter.

"So, this is how Valua treats its people…"

The Valuan turned back, bloodshot blue eyes wide in surprise.

"Now that we’ve taken control of your ship, we’ll be taking the girl as well. There’s just one more thing I need to do." He drew his cutlasses, ready to deal with that coward himself.

"After seeing you kill an unarmed man in cold blood, I can’t allow you to walk away from this. Draw your blade, Alfonso!"

The admiral’s mouth twitched with a rictus.

"Hah… An uncivilized Rogue such as yourself wants to challenge me?"

"You can’t send any more of your guards to save you this time!" Aika added, still protectively holding on the unconscious girl.

Alfonso sniffled with derision, still looking down to them with the disdain of someone stepping in dung.

"You vermin aren’t worth my effort, but perhaps you’d like to meet one of my pets. Come, Antonio!"

Alfonso pulled out a shimmering golden chain, carefully concealed underneath his pink cravat. A long slim whistle was brought to his lips as he blew it, but no sound came out of it.

Vyse and Aika both exchanged a puzzled look, Alfonso taking that opportunity to step away from the Blue Rogues, getting closer to the lifeboat.

"Oh no, you don’t!" Aika threw the boomerang at the fleeing man.

He attempted blocking with his saber but his moves were strangely slow and sluggish. He landed unceremoniously on his back with a grunt, the boomerang hitting him ended up thrown off course and landed a few steps away.

As Aika got up to retrieve her weapon, they heard the loud rumbling noise, the ship shaking.

"Aika behind you!"

The girl’s reflexes were thankfully quick, grabbing the hostage and rolling away from the bursting doorway, just in time to avoid the beast charging through it. Alfonso sat up from his position, his hair disheveled, looking less and less like a noble by the second - the prince turning back into a toad.

"Antonio! Trample the pests and make their deaths as painful as possible!"

Vyse gritted his teeth as the War Bull pawed the ground, breath coming through its nostrils. With Aika temporarily unarmed and the girl to tend for they were both at a disadvantage. And unfortunately for them, the so-called Antonio’s beady black eyes were set on Aika.

"Shoo! Shoo you monster! ...Like that’d work."

She glanced at the defenseless girl, gently placing her aside.

"If it’s me you want, catch me then!" The redhead taunted running, the beast charging.

"Aika!!!" Vyse ran, slashing at the beast’s side, mostly covered by heavy armor, the blade scratching metal but connecting with the exposed bit of flesh as he pulled the cutlass away.

The beast let out a sharp cry, slowing it down but it still kept up the chase toward the red-haired pirate.

"Why me???" she cried out, still running, but toward Alfonso’s direction.

"N-No!!! Get away from me!" He stood up clumsily.

Vyse could only watch as it turned into an odd chase. The War beast behind Aika and her ready to make her fists collide with the admiral’s face. Alfonso once again brought the whistle to his lips, blowing it again in a sound that the human ears couldn’t pick up. However, it visibly threw Antonio into a frenzy, making it stand on its hind-legs.

Vyse ran and slid on the ground, landing a hit on the Bull’s completely exposed stomach.

It wasn’t enough to do significant damage but it gave him the momentum to retrieve Aika’s weapon, throwing it in her direction.

"Catch!"

He had seen enough of Aika’s training to know how to throw the weapon. Unlike her, he couldn’t make it return, boomerangs being out of his area of expertise, however in this case it didn’t matter. Aika caught it and in one single move, the green bladed boomerang was pointed at Alfonso’s chest.

"A-Antonio!" He didn’t have the time to grab the whistle, the pirate slashing, and effectively cutting the chain, the small instrument blown aside, along with the expensive jewel that was attached to Alfonso’s cravat.

The noble gasped, eyes widening.

" _NO!_ "

He jumped forward, catching, not the golden whistle but the red gem with flailing and trembling hands. He retrieved the brooch, holding it close to his chest. Aika raised an eyebrow.

"What happened to easily replacing everything we stole, fancy-pants?"

They didn’t have time to focus on that however, the beast’s legs falling back to the ground, making the ship shake once again. Aika stepped away from Alfonso and the edge of the ship, not wanting to risk meeting that poor Vice-Captain’s end.

Antonio was one again fixing its gaze toward the girl.

"Really?! You’ve got to be kidding me! Do I have an attractive color to you???"

Vyse’s eyes lit up. He would have to get creative with this one and hope it’d work.

"Aika run!"

"Like I have a choice!"

Vyse undid the red scarf loosely tied around his neck, sheathing his dual cutlasses and ran, placing himself between the red-haired girl and the beast.

"Hey Antonio, you like red?"

Vyse waved the scarf, seeing the bull’s eyes spark with interest. It looked like he was right.

"You want it, come and get it!!!" The Rogue back-stepped, watching carefully as Antonio pawed the ground once more. He was getting closer and closer to Alfonso, pathetically struggling to get back on his feet, still holding the brooch like one might hold an injured bird.

"Come on Antonio! Get this!" Another flutter of the red fabric and the bull _charged._

"Vyse!" Aika called to him as he wasn’t moving yet.

At visibly the last moment Vyse jumped aside, effectively pushing Alfonso out of the way, both narrowly evading the deadly stampede, the beast’s bellow swallowed by the wind as it fell down the bottomless abyss.

Vyse’s eyes met the frenzied turquoise ones of the admiral, they were close enough for the Rogue to catch a familiar whiff. _Loqua_.

"You’ve got to be the most pathetic commander I’ve ever met in my life." Vyse was appalled.

His reaction gave Alfonso the time to shove him away, making his way toward the lifeboat.

"Ngh! You will rue this day, Vyse of the Blue Rogues! ...The day you stood against the Valuan Empire. We shall meet again."

Vyse’s hand rested at his cutlass’ hilt but dropped it, shaking his head as the lifeboat took off.

"You coward! What kind of a commander sacrifices his own men and his ship to run from a fight? ...Can you believe this guy, Vyse?"

"The type that also gets drunk on the job… Geez. The armada’s standards must have dropped since Dad’s days."

Vyse sighed, still in disbelief, Aika’s own eyes widening.

"You’ve got to be kidding! Well, even though he was a coward, he was a coward with gold... "

"True… I suppose that the ship and everything on it officially belong to us now."

They both turned toward the unconscious girl, all clad in white, looking ethereal compared to the two of them. The mysterious golden patterns adorning her dress were completely foreign as well.

"And look at this girl! I’ve never seen anyone dressed like that before! That veil...She almost looks like a bride or a princess! Or..."

"Aika are you letting your imagination run wild again? ...Still, you’re right, she doesn’t look like a Valuan or Nasrean for that matter. I wonder why Valua was trying to kidnap her in the first place."

"Hmm… I wonder where she's from..."

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That chapter got some edits just now for corrections. I'd like to extend big thanks to Klayton Vorlick for localizing the game and giving it that spark. And I'm even more grateful for him taking the time to read my work and help with the corrections. Having someone so closely involved in developing the game and liking my fic is really not something I expected ^^


	2. The Queen Wears White

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I went feral over this chapter! I'd like to extend special thanks to Caseo for proof-reading and helping make the corrections. English is not my first language so I tend to make some awkward wording mistakes here and there. By the way if you're reading this, I should also let you know to read her fic Armada, my favorite Non-Novelization story out here. It's amazing and she definitely deserves the support!

Fina had been waiting, looking out the porthole every day, waiting for that familiar ship to return, for his triumphant smile. For him to say "It's good to be home, Fina." She still wanted to believe. She had nothing else to hold on to. That day, when the Elders summoned her, she felt her heart break at the thought that _they_ had given up on him.

"You understand what you have to do, Fina?"

"Elder-"

"Replace Rami…"

They didn't believe in him anymore… Of course, after all this time, who could blame them? Fina had had the time to grow from a child to a young woman during his absence. He had a mission to accomplish of the utmost importance and still hadn't returned and the Elder's patience had grown thin. She had no choice but to follow his path.

That day, Fina was afraid. The elder's eyes felt cold to her and her shoulders heavy under an invisible burden. She wanted to cry, her chin low but she nodded. She understood and the elders knew that she did. The mission was her priority, she couldn't afford to doubt or back down from this. She had to be strong.

"However, watch yourself. Do not allow trust…"

"Yes… Elder."

Fina almost expected to see the sterile white ceiling of her home, waking up alone for another day, her poor attempt at her mission only a distant nightmare.

Instead, she found two pairs of foreign brown eyes staring down at her. She opened her mouth as if about to scream but nothing escaped, leaving her in stunned silence.

"Look! She's coming to..." Gasped a girl with bright orange hair.

They got up from their position, thankfully giving her the space to sit up. Fina folded her arms against her chest, her hand subtly running under her sleeve to feel the familiar reassuring presence of a silver bracelet.

She expected to have to defend herself, and although her heart was pounding in her chest, she steeled her resolve. Neither of the two youths was armed, however, and displayed no signs of aggression, calming her down a little.

"W-Where am I?"

The male teenager spoke up.

"You're aboard our ship, the Albatross."

Looking around her, the wooden walls felt nothing like the ironclad attacking her. She furrowed her brow in confusion. Perhaps sensing her discomfort, the young man introduced himself.

"I'm Vyse. Don't worry, there aren't any Valuan troops around, so you'll be safe here."

" Y...yes. Um… Thank you very much" She nodded slowly, hesitation still present in her tone.

The bright-haired girl didn't seem to take it to heart, her smile seeming to light up the whole room in a way that caught Fina off guard.

"Haha! You don't need to thank us! The Blue Rogues are always there to help people!"

The girl, whose name she learned to be Aika, smiled warmly enough with a kind of energy that made it seem impossible for Fina to harbor any ill feelings toward her. She found it easier to speak to her if only to say her name.

"Fina…" Vyse echoed, his voice trailing off.

She turned toward him, tilting her head.

"Oh! It's a great name! It's so… so… feminine."

Fina blinked, unsure what to respond.

"R-really? You think so?"

Vyse looked dejected, shaking his head slightly.

"Moons, you try and compliment someone… And nothing… No reaction whatsoever."

Aika let out a laugh.

"Vyse, that wasn't much of a compliment. Looks like you have a lot to learn about women."

The girl's laugh was contagious and seeing Vyse looking so comically flustered as he searched for his words, Fina's own lips curved, a soft laugh escaping her.

It dawned on her that it had been a long time since she had last laughed. It gave her a bittersweet feeling.

"Um… how old are you?" She asked, genuinely curious.

"Aika and I? We're both seventeen. You look around our age… Or is that not a thing I should ask ladies?" Vyse pondered as Aika snickered again.

"Oh! We're the same age then…"

It felt strange seeing these two, so different from her despite their being the same age. Still… She didn't feel as frightened anymore. Aika's eyes lit up suddenly.

"Hey, our guest must be hungry. Why don't you go and fetch her breakfast?"

"Um sure…" Vyse blinked. "Are you coming, Aika?"

"I'll watch over her, you know. In case she needs anything." The girl's smile was strangely impish, making Vyse raise an eyebrow.

"Remember she just woke up Aika… and use your indoor voice, got it?"

It was almost comical, watching Aika practically push Vyse out of the room.

"Yeah yeah, go now, food duty!"

She closed the door, turning toward Fina with a smile and wink.

"You're the first girl my age I get to talk to, that's a nice change of pace" She said, grinning.

* * *

Vyse was unceremoniously shoved out of the room, leaving him blinking in confusion. What got Aika so worked up?... He sighed. With all of this he didn't even get the time to ask Fina where she came from. Her clothes already sparked enough questions and she only made him more curious with her speech. She spoke with an accent Vyse had never heard before, making inflections on the wrong syllables.

There was also the nagging question of why the Valuans wanted her. Somehow he doubted Alfonso kidnapped her for an arranged marriage or whatever Aika imagined when she called him a pervert on their way back to the Albatross. It felt like there was something more to this.

"I take it the girl woke up then?" Luke the raider spoke up, nonchalantly leaning on the wall.

"She just did. Aika is either grilling her or talking her ears off right now." Vyse gave a glance at the door.

''Give her some credit here, she's probably trying to lighten the mood and not have you get in interrogation mode.'' Luke chuckled.

Vyse feigned a hurt look.

"Moons, what's with everyone roasting me today?"

The young raider raised an eyebrow, looking at him with interest.

"What? Did I miss something? Do tell."

Vyse rolled his eyes, walking by the young man. As if he wanted to give him more material to tease him with.

"Absolutely not! Besides I gotta hurry, I'm on breakfast gathering duty-By the way how was the loot?"

Vyse's mind had already moved to another topic and, like any respectable Blue Rogue, he was looking forward to learning what kind of haul they'd made off with.

"And here I thought you were in a hurry. ...It was amazing. Wait till we unload it at home."

"Really? Come on… Give me a little more so I have something to look forward to!"

"That guy was RICH. Filthy rich—we got moonstones to last for months for fuel and weapons… Even Loqua. Speaking of, we kind of raided his loqua supplies too."

Vyse's eyes lit up. Well, judging by Alfonso's state, he had to indulge in the good stuff.

"Tell me he had Mur Loqua, Luke. Valuan Loqua tends to… tingle a little too much for my tastes."

Arcadia's six moons each carried different blessings with different elemental properties. Loqua, being made of Loquat berries and processed with moonstones, came in several varieties each with their own unique flair tied to the moon stones used. It made Vyse wonder if the sparkling effect of the yellow Valuan Loqua was actually static electricity. He definitely wasn't a fan.

"I knew you'd ask… You know this is not Virgin Loqua, so you're not getting a bottle—But I will save you a glass" Luke added as Vyse made the look of a hurt huskra.

"I'll take your word for it!"

Through all of this, Vyse was still in the corridor and unmoving. Luke brought him back to his current objective.

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Um… Look, if I have to trade my share just for a glass of Lo-Oh, the breakfast!"

Vyse broke into a light jog, nearly tripping on a barrel in the middle of the way.

"Alright, now who left this here...?"

...After many obstacles, including bringing two forks and one spoon but no food, breakfast was successfully delivered.

"...Sorry." Vyse apologized, feeling a little bashful.

Aika smirked at him playfully.

"New girl got you that flustered?"

"Is this about the whole _feminine_ thing? You're never going to let me forget it, huh?"

"Not likely." Aika smiled again.

A light graceful chuckle escaped Fina's lips once again. At least she seemed far calmer than she had been when she woke up.

"I hope you're not nervous about traveling with air pirates." Vyse's thoughts seemed to escape on their own, making Fina pause.

He couldn't really describe it as seeming scared or anxious… More like she was stunned into a confused silence.

"Um... excuse me, but I have a question. What exactly is an Air… Air Pirate? "

Vyse and Aika exchanged a look of disbelief, both blinking. Anyone in these skies knew what an air pirate was. Black pirates or Blue Rogues, people commonly feared and respected them to some extent.

"What? You were sailing all by yourself and you don't even know what Air Pirates are?" Aika was quick to speak her mind without filter.

"Oh… I… I'm sorry… it's my first time traveling."

Well… Anyone could tell as much. The questions continued to accumulate in Vyse's mind but he decided to answer Fina's first.

"Basically, Air Pirates are sailors that attack other ships and steal their cargo." Vyse spoke matter-of-factly but soon regretted it as Fina's green eyes widened in shock.

"Attack?!"

Aika thankfully took over.

"Ahaha… You don't have to worry about us. We're Blue Rogues. See, Air Pirates are divided into two factions: the Blue Rogues and the Black Pirates."

Fina's eyes were fixed on the red-head, attentive as she explained.

''The Black Pirates will attack anything in the sky… especially merchant vessels and unarmed ships. However, we Blue Rogues only take cargo from armed ships, especially the Imperial Armada."

To any Valuan, Blue Rogues and Black Pirates were the same in that aspect, Vyse thought. Still, they had a code and they honored it. They never killed if they could pacify, and they never took hostages. According to what Luke told him earlier on one of his trips for the food, the Valuan troops surrendered as soon as they learned their ''brave'' leader had deserted them. They were released along with the ship… After being thoroughly shaken-down, of course.

Vyse smiled at the thought.

"We rob from the rich and keep the gold. But, we use the gold to save people that need our help." He said, feeling pride swelling in his chest.

He loved being a Blue Rogue. The excitement of the adventure and the rewards of seeing everyone's smiles back home… Nothing could beat that.

"That's why we helped you. Don't worry, we aren't trying to kidnap you or anything. Just relax and enjoy the trip." He added.

Fina seemed to relax again, but clearly, it was a lot to take in. He couldn't blame her. A voice came from the talking tube connected to the room, Vyse's father calling them from the bridge.

"Vyse, Aika… How long are you going to sit there chit-chatting? Come to the bridge now."

"Oh no! I completely lost track of time!"

And so did Vyse… Was it already the afternoon? It felt like the raid happened only during the last hour.

"Oh well… I guess that means we have to go. Alright Fina, we'll see you later! Try and get some rest."

* * *

Both Rogues left the room in a hurry, leaving Fina to the silence she was used to.

She heaved the breath she didn't know she was holding, staring up at the ceiling.

"They are a lively bunch aren't they…" she muttered to herself.

Blue Rogues and Black Pirates… Valuan Empire… There was so much to take in. She knew of the ancient civilizations, of rulers, customs and languages. She was well versed in Lingua Arcas—the common language of the sky—ancient Silvite, as well as the written and spoken languages of the people under the six moons.

The elders taught _him_ how to fight and protect and made him a soldier, they wanted her to inherit their vast knowledge and wisdom. In Fina's eyes it felt like the Elders knew everything and their words were absolute and now… She had learned something they had not taught her.

She carefully put aside her finished plate, slowly rising from the bed. They were not trying to harm her… Yet she couldn't allow herself to trust them. The sun shone bright out of the porthole. Barely a day since she arrived and she was confronted with these conflicting thoughts.

"What kind of people did you meet...?" She whispered, her eyes shutting, her lost friend haunting her thoughts.

* * *

"Stuck on deck swabbing duties again?"

"Shut it, Matthew" Vyse groaned as he did the chores.

The deckhand merely yawned, reminding him of a sleepy cat. The boy could easily sleep through a storm, Vyse thought.

"I was only a little late" The blue rogue added, absentmindedly dipping the mop in the bucket.

"On a ship being a little late can cost lives." Matthew recited, mimicking Vyse's father's voice.

Vyse sighed.

"I mean… He's not wrong but… Gaaah. He knows I hate this."

"Hey it's that or cannonball polishing duties! I mean… At least you get to be out in the sun… I'd take a nap right about now."

Vyse smiled at the deckhand. As much as sleep was necessary to rest, it felt like if he indulged too much, he'd miss out on life itself. Still, it didn't take much for Matthew to be happy. That sure was an enviable trait…

Looking at the deck of the Albatross, Vyse wondered if the ship had grown smaller or if it was just him growing up. His dad first took him on the ship when he had begun to walk, and it had always looked so big and majestic, like the deck was endless.

And now, with a mop in-hand and the whole place clean, it felt like his world had shrunk. A breeze blew by; Vyse closed his eyes and imagined where that wind came from, and where it would go next.

"VYSE!"

"Wha-? W-What?!"

Suddenly Matthew was inches away from his ears.

"I've been calling to you for a full minute. Captain Dyne is calling you back to the bridge!"

"Oh... Aye Aye!" Vyse dropped the mop and ran back inside, praying it wasn't going to be cannonball duties.

"Hey Da- Captain. Vyse reporting for duties!"

Dyne rolled his eyes but let it slide.

"We're on our way home. Briggs is letting you take over the wheel, so show us how you manoeuver the ship."

Vyse's eyes lit up, practically rushing toward the steering wheel.

"Easy there, it's not going anywhere" Briggs the Vice-Captain said, stepping away for Vyse to take his place.

Being in control of the ship was Vyse's favorite part of sailing. The sheer feeling of freedom, feeling like he was one with the Albatross as he sailed the skies.

His eyes were wide as he took in the scenery of Mid Ocean. The glass eyepatch he was wearing had a zoom function. Dyne had made it for him after Vyse's numerous occasions of losing or forgetting to bring the telescope on lookout duties.

Vyse zoomed in, taking in the view, seeing the dot of their familiar home island.

Something else, however, caught his attention out of the corner of his vision, making him steer the ship toward it reflexively.

"Hey hey, what did I tell you about getting side-tracked?" Dyne admonished.

"I spotted something over on that island—and weren't you the one who always said no discoveries were made by following the travel itinerary?"

Landis the navigator let out a laugh.

"He got you good there, Cap'n!"

"Alright alright… Let's see here…"

Dyne came closer, watching as they flew by a carefully arranged mountain of rocks. It was in no way a natural formation. Resting against it was a heavily aged ship anchor.

"Stop the ship. We're landing."

Vyse dropped down first, soon joined by his father and Briggs. Seeing the place directly suddenly made Vyse feel small again. The mountain of rocks looming over him as if someone was looking down on him.

Carefully he dusted the stone, the movement slow and deliberate. Scribbled on it, he could make out words.

"Here lies an unknown Blue Rogue… D… That's what it says."

"Wait! That's the legendary pirate's grave?!" Dyne's mouth dropped, impressed.

"Great job, Vyse! The Sailor's Guild will be sure to pay you for that discovery!"

Vyse's cheeks flushed as he looked up at the grave.

"You make it sound like I just reached a pirate's milestone!"

"You sure did, son. Being an air pirate is not just about heists and amassing treasures. Sailing in uncharted areas and unveiling secrets of old, strange lands and creatures… Nothing is more respectable than that."

Dyne patted his shoulder.

"For once, I'll forgive you for making us late to see your mother." Dyne smiled.

As they left, Vyse glanced at the grave one last time, his mind going over his father's words and the longing for the unexplored that began to haunt him.

"Watch over me, pirate of old… I'll make the Blue Rogues proud."

* * *

Alfonso stared at the cold ivory grave, his mother's name engraved on it. The flowers on her memorial had already been replaced with fresh ones. Alfonso shivered as he finished his prayer.

Whenever he left the estate and returned, he visited the family's mausoleum, under his estate. The graves of his mother, father and brother were carefully tended to in his absences. As they deserved.

Even dead they were worth so much more than his simpering servants. He couldn't stand looking at them. All of them were puppets—there to obey him. They served his food, tended to his manor, and ran his errands. That was all there was to them. Had it not been for his family's generosity most of them would be dead in whatever ditch of Lower City they came from.

Still… As Alfonso's steps echoed through the empty halls of his grandiose estate, he was overtaken by a feeling of loneliness. The kind he always tried to escape, whether by sleeping or partying when he was off-duty.

He hated seeing his manor empty. He was long overdue for another party, with only the most eminent guests of course. His mind already concocting heroic tales of him facing air pirates, imagining the guests listening to every detail. Seeing them applauding at the right moments, gasping when the tale ended in a tragic twist, scandalized by a countryman betraying them and allowing the pirates onboard… And breathing a collective sigh of relief as they heard their valiant Duke delivering justice himself.

All the right reactions and words when prompted... Just like every well-educated noble. Alfonso's fist collided with a mirror in a hallway, and he glanced at his broken reflection. His knuckles stung as they bled onto the pristine carpet below them, and he absent-mindedly called up green magic to mend the fresh wounds. He'd had these fits enough times in the past that the pain was an afterthought; he would leave no scars to hint at weakness.

It was ridiculous. All of it. The fabricated stories and reactions. The empty words of the court. ...The only real thing he'd ever had was resting in the mausoleum below.

He shook his head. He did the right thing; he would tell all his guests, and it would become the truth. That was his ability as the lord of Valdez.

"My word is law… I did what I had to do! I had no choice."

" _You always have a choice._ "

As he stared into the cracked reflection he saw another face, eyes red like a beast staring from behind him, making Alfonso scream.

"Who's there?!"

He turned back and saw… nothing. He was alone. Of course, he was alone. That was a poor trick of his eyes. His tired mind imagined the whole thing, mistaking his thoughts for someone else's voice.

"I really need a drink…"

As he walked toward the hall, he saw a bottle of Valuan Vintage just waiting for him, unopened.

He raised an eyebrow in confusion. He did not remember placing it here. If not him, a servant probably left it here; that was the most plausible explanation.

He was alone.

Alfonso opened the bottle, the cork coming off with a _pop_ , and he drank directly from the bottle, feeling the pleasant tingle running down his throat.

He walked off with the bottle to his bedchambers. He had no one to impress right now. He was just himself: a tired man.

" _I pity you today, Lord Alfonso… May you find respite and peace in your dreams._ "

The mysterious voice, belonging to neither man or woman, didn't reach him as he allowed himself to drift off. He would not remember this brief otherworldly encounter, his mind already tossing it off as a nightmare to forget.

* * *

Fina stepped out onto the deck, greeted by the warm sun and wind, spring having already settled in.

"Hey Fina. How are you feeling?"

Vyse greeted her with a smile, his eyes having a spark in them that only seemed to shine brighter since she'd last looked at him. It reminded her of _him_ again… The same life and vibrance, the eyes of a visionary—filled with dreams. She smiled back at the thought.

"I'm feeling much better. Thank you for your concern."

"Heh… no problem. I'm just happy to see that you're well. Looks like we'll be reaching the island soon."

"...Island?"

Vyse pointed at the horizon, and there it was… A small island, barely big enough to house a village. As they came closer Fina felt the same sense of calmness and wonder at watching the ship navigating in the clouds. What her mind recognized as a windmill, at least what her books described as such, was slowly spinning in the wind. Children played outside in the open, women gazed up at the ship with a smile.

"That's our home, Pirate Isle." Vyse announced, waving at someone.

"Pirate Isle?" She echoed. What a strange name… especially for people doing such a dangerous job such as them.

As if sensing her concerns, Vyse grinned at her.

"That's what _we_ call it anyway. To the outside world, we're just Windmill island, a peaceful hamlet of merchants and their families." He assured her as the Albatross sailed lower, not dropping anchor where she expected them to on the upside of the island.

"...But in reality, that's where the magic of the island really is."

Her sense of peace morphed into one of wonder as the side of the island opened up. The rock formation covering the base was held up by sturdy chains. A man ran up from below, guiding the ship back into the island itself with semaphore.

Suddenly the island was not so innocent; the wall closed behind them and the world grew darker.

* * *

Aika's eyes lit up as their haul was spread out for all to see. She knew Alfonso was _loaded_ but seeing it in person was another experience altogether. She let out a whistle as Timmus made the inventory.

"Weapons, armor, gold… Now THIS is a great catch! One of our best yet!"

Aika eyed an attractive looking jewel. They could purchase a whole winter's worth of food with that alone. ...It made her wonder for a bit how much Alfonso's brooch was worth, considering it looked like a very refined Nasrean diamond cabochon. It was at least worth enough for him to nearly throw himself off his ship for it. Still… She couldn't see herself wearing a jewel THAT big. It would scream to anyone '' _Please steal me!_ ''

Mabel the raider grabbed one of the bottles of Loqua, raising it, the bottle shimmering under the dim lights of their underground base.

"Tonight we should celebrate!"

In response came the collective Aye Aye of the crew. Aika smiled, expecting hers and Vyse's celebration to be tamer in nature due to their young age. They had their own reward, though, so she couldn't complain.

"Well Fina, this is what we do! What do you think?"

Fina looked back with that absent gaze, reminding her of that look she had when they first mentioned Air Pirates to her.

"Well… It certainly looks challenging."

Aika let out a good-natured laugh, the answer taking her by surprise. It was an interesting way to look at it.

"Hahaha… challenging, huh… Well now that you mention it, it isn't easy. But it is fun!"

The crew split up, carrying the loot, organizing where to put the stuff to sell, to keep and split… Their merchants Zach and Erinn were already getting this sorted out while the crew was getting ready to relax and play after their busy night.

The red-haired girl for one was ready to give Fina a tour. The whole time they had spent together on the Albatross it felt like Aika was doing most of the talking, Fina remaining politely attentive. She was a tough nut to crack, but Aika was not passing on a chance to make new friends!

"We've got shops, an armory, and even a tavern!" She said excitedly, but it was unfortunately short-lived as the Captain called to them.

"Vyse! Come to my office immediately...and bring that girl with you."

Aika pouted. Well… Their plan was ruined quickly.

"Vyse… I wonder what that was all about."

As far as she knew they weren't in trouble, but with Fina being brought into this she couldn't help but worry.

" ...I'm not sure, but we'd better hurry. You know how my dad gets when we're late."

"Words you're going to forget in five minutes."

"Oh come on."

Sure enough, they barely had begun their walk to higher grounds that they passed by the tavern, loud cheers coming through making Vyse peek inside.

"You guys already started drinking?"

Patch the Deckhand finished his sip, letting out a hearty sigh.

"Heh, it's been a while since we've taken an Armada Flagship. We deserve to take a break now and then!"

Timmus raised his mug taking a long gulp.

"You got that right! That stuff is great… Captain Dyne sure knows how to pick his loquat berries, that stuff hits the spot."

Aika could see easily Vyse gazing at the bottle of Mur Loqua in Mabel's hand with a heartbroken look as the latter gulped its contents down.

"So much for having a glass…" He muttered.

Aika patted him on the back.

"If you're lucky you might have the remainder of the bottle."

She turned toward Fina, thinking she might as well show her the place now that they had stopped there.

"Fina, this is our tavern… They serve all kinds of drinks here: nectars, juice, loqua…"

The girl blinked.

"Um...Excuse me but what exactly is _"Loqua"_?"

This time Vyse was the shocked one, gaping at Fina as if she had said something blasphemous.

"WHAT?! ...Fina you really don't know what loqua is?"

Seeing her meek smile and her light cheeks coloring with embarrassment, Aika felt the need to give him a little lovetap.

"Well… um… I don't know exactly, but it appears to be a really good tasting drink of some kind. Everyone seems to be drinking it so fervently… it must be delicious."

"Aww, want to share a bottle of Mur Loqua with us? We got some of the juice kind stored around somewhere. You seem a bit young to take the spiked one yet… Though there's no harm in giving you a sip." Mabel winked, raising the bottle she drank from, the effects of her own loqua seemingly kicking in.

Well that was as good an excuse as any to act like the reasonable one!

"Nononononono! We don't have time to just sit around right now! We have to go talk to the Cap'n! He's always getting on our case for being late and stuff… I really don't want to get into any more trouble today..."

Aika was the one who had pulled the short stick and ended up on cannonballs duty… She eyed Vyse for emphasis at that thought.

"Heh… Yeah, my dad can get pretty worked up when he's mad. We wouldn't want him to have a heart attack now, would we?" He grinned teasingly.

"Haha… You're so mean to your dad, you know that Vyse? C'mon… we should probably get going. He's waiting for us."

She waved goodbye to the celebrating crewmembers, and just in time before Mabel got into outright flirting mode, blowing a kiss in Fina's direction.

"They sure are… interesting." The girl muttered, looking confused.

She was so innocent… The kind of person you wanted to protect. Aika was ready to defend her even as they entered Dyne's office, the captain already admonishing them for being late. He barely looked at them, his attention directed at Fina, and Aika didn't like that one bit.

"Young lady, I am Dyne, the Captain of the Blue Rogues. There are a few questions that I want to ask you. Will you answer them for me?"

"Of… Of course." Fina politely nodded.

Dyne cut to the chase, asking what all of them had in mind since they found her.

"I've been sailing for a very long time, but I've never come across anyone wearing clothes like yours. What country are you from and why were you traveling alone out there?"

His interrogations met with a pregnant silence, Fina's eyes downcast.

Aika spoke up, defensive.

"Cap'n Dyne, you worry too much. Fina is just a normal girl."

Dyne retorted harshly.

"Silence Aika! I am the captain here. It is my duty to protect the safety of my family and my crew. If this girl is a danger of any sort to you or any of my men, I cannot let her live."

Aika felt her blood run cold and her heart ache at the thought, words coming stumbling out of her trembling lips.

"B-But…"

Vyse looked back to her, shaking his head. That was not a fight they could win and she knew that. Of course, she knew the captain's word was law.

"Fina… It is your turn to speak."

"...I… I cannot say."

Dyne furrowed his brow.

"Why is that? Is it because we are Air Pirates? Don't you trust us?"

Fina raised her head sharply, her eyes directly meeting Dyne's. All the meekness Aika had witnessed so far was completely gone, her words coming out firm and unflinching.

"No, that has nothing to do with it. I thank you with all my heart for saving my life. But I cannot tell any living soul about the purpose of my quest. Even if it means sacrificing my own life. I have no intention of endangering any of your lives. If you believe anything that I say, please believe this."

Aika was stunned into silence as Fina spoke, every word spoken with a quiet strength that she didn't imagine her having. Fina was no helpless princess; she was more like a queen.

Even Dyne knew when to step down, his frown easing into a smile, gracefully recognizing defeat. They felt collective relief as the captain let them go, allowing them to guide Fina to visit the village above.


	3. Families We Choose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thanks again to Caseo and MxAcey for their help. I can't stress enough to check out their works. There are extremely talented and underappreciated writers here and I feel like it's our job as a small community to lift each other up :) By the way, I take constructive criticisms! I'm not paid for that fic or anything but I genuinely want to improve as a writer and welcome suggestions ^^

As much as Aika loved the hustle and bustle of the underground hideout, she heaved a contented sigh when she felt the rays of the sun on her skin. As she stretched her arms towards the skies and ran her fingers along the braids in her hair, Aika felt the strands had become loose, and as she reached their end noticed one tie barely remained knotted. She grimaced… Well, that had to be taken care of first. 

“Vyse, go on ahead. I have to stop by my house for a second.”

Her friend stared blankly at her.

“Why? What’s wrong?”

Aika couldn’t help but smile. Vyse sure was dense sometimes… Still, that was one of his endearing traits. 

“I just want to freshen up. Don’t worry, I’ll catch up with you guys in a few minutes! See you at your house!” 

She parted ways with the two, waving at the children playing with the huskra, happily barking with his distinctive “pow!”. Next to the windmill was her parents’ house… Though it had become only hers since they passed away. 

“I’m back, mom, dad…” Aika gave a thoughtful glance at their memorial outside before she went inside. She kicked off her boots and undid her braids, her long orange hair falling to her waist.

She closed her eyes as she threw herself upon the large bed to relax for a spell, letting out the tension of their recent heist. As she usually tossed and turned a lot in her sleep, the size of her bed at home was always welcome, bringing her comfort. Coming back to that house empty a few years back was difficult. After her parents’ death, Vyse's parents took her in and she had grown up alongside her best friend like brother and sister. As Aika slowly grew into a woman, Vyse's mother advised her it was time for her to go back and face that house. It had been bittersweet, seeing that place trapped in time, still just as her parents left it. Her mother's favorite cup on the table, her father's guitar in the corner. She had spent a long day alternating between cleaning and crying as time started to move again in that single-room house. 

Over time, the place started smelling like the flowers she grew, the firewood in the evenings... and a little spark of gunpowder, Aika smirked as she recalled her recent "scientific'' experiments with her fireplace. The house didn't just carry the memories of her parents, stagnating and heavy; she had opened the windows and allowed the place to become hers, a home she felt good returning to. The remnants of her parents’ presence no longer felt hurtful or haunting. They were still a part of her, moving her forward.

Aika smiled, rising to brush her long hair, whistling as she did it. Homes reflected the state and personality of their owners... She wondered what kind of place Fina lived in. She had all the grace and bearing of royalty without coming off as haughty, and she seemed so sheltered... 

"Tonight we're making her try Loqua!" Aika grinned, her fingers working through the strands of her hair as she tied them back. 

* * *

“This is our little village! There’s not much to see, but then again that’s what allows us to slip under the armada’s radar.” 

Fina listened absentmindedly, her attention focused on everything in her field of view. The green of the scenery, the vibrant colors of the villagers’ clothes… The sounds. A melodic chirp she couldn’t quite place, the children laughing, the women talking-- It was overwhelming, but not in a way that pushed her away. It all felt … so alive.

“This place is beautiful…” She said, voice breathless. 

As her green eyes wandered over the scenery, she didn’t watch where she was going and so she yelped in surprise as she ended up stumbling over an animal, making the strangest sound she’d ever heard.

“Pow! Pow pow!” A quadruped with lavender and white fur, barely rising above her shins was barking, its thick tail wagging excitedly. 

“O-oh my!” 

Fina could do nothing but stare blankly as she tried to recall any descriptions of the creatures found in her bestiaries. None came to her mind.

“Quiet, Pow! I told you not to bark at guests before, right?” Vyse scolded.

In reply came more subdued ‘’pow’’ noises, its beady black eyes looking up to them with a hint of sadness. Fina smiled apologetically. 

“I, I’m sorry. He just took me by surprise. He’s actually really cute…” 

The animal’s body language felt familiar now that she thought about it. She dropped to her knees, extending her hand carefully. The animal sniffled with curiosity before rubbing its head affectionately against her palm. The soft texture was unlike anything she’d ever felt before.

“I guess on your island, you live with other animals…” she noted. 

“Um...yeah. I, I guess. You don’t have pets where you come from?”

Fina felt a flush of embarrassment once again. 

“W, well, um...no. Not really. Is it that unusual? I’m so sorry… It’s just that everything seems so… different here.”

“I mean, it’s not something you have to apologize for! ...You know, despite sailing with my dad and Aika, there’s much of the world I don’t know myself. ...A land with no animals, huh.” He knelt, scratching behind the huskra’s ears, the latter’s tail wagging with more vigor.

“VYSE! VYSE! VYSE!’’ Three young voices shouted in unison, taking her by surprise again as Vyse found himself surrounded.

“Hey, Jimmy, Alan, Lindsi. Have you kids been good while we were gone?” He hugged back with one arm the little brunette girl who’d sprung on to his shoulders. 

“We protected the village!” Jimmy proudly proclaimed, puffing out his chest.

Vyse gave a good-natured laugh, rising from his position as the girl took a step back. Watching him talking with the three children, their big eyes sparkling with admiration, it was obvious Vyse was well-loved among the village. It reminded Fina of how _he_ used to talk to her.

The pale boy in green clothes, Alan, turned toward her with an expression she could only describe as awe.

“You’re Vyse’s friend they saved? Daddy Boris and Daddy Briggs told me all about it!”

Fina chuckled lightly, her cheeks heating at the word “friend”.

“...I owe Vyse and Captain Dyne a lot, yes,” she said, smiling back.

“You’re so pretty…” Alan murmured.

All three children’s eyes were on her, all eager as they asked to play. Fina had expected them to ask for Vyse’s attention, but she was at a loss for words when they asked for hers as well.

“M-Me too?” 

“Of course! Please play with us! We can play hide and seek!” The boy named Jimmy said. He flashed a wide grin, proudly showcasing his missing tooth.

Somehow, it felt like the whole world now rode on her response.

“S-Sure! We can play” She acquiesced as the thunderous cheer resounded. 

They were soon caught up to by Aika, her hair tightly braided. 

“Sorry for the wait! I was just fixing my hair; you guys weren’t planning on playing without me, right?”

“We wouldn’t dream of it!” Vyse replied cheerfully.

For just a moment, Fina decided she could forget her duties. 

* * *

Vice-Captain Ramirez stood close to the wall, by his Lord's side, waiting and listening. He knew when to listen and when to speak, and in that case, the former was most appropriate.

The soldier delivering the report was speaking with a tremor in his voice, his body still but his delivery heavy with emotion he couldn't quite contain. 

"The pirates caught us by surprise and…"

"How did they go unnoticed by the radar? Why didn't you fire back?" the Lord Admiral Galcian spoke, voice calm but tone severe.

His questions were met with silence. The soldier was Lower City-born; any words against his Lord would be like signing his death warrant. They all knew that, but it didn't make Ramirez any less bitter.

"Speak freely, soldier,” Lord Galcian said. He smiled reassuringly, though its warmth never reached the frigid gray of his eyes. “You are not answering to Admiral Alfonso, but to me. As long as your words are the truth, you shall be free of accountability."

Lord Galcian was not one to tolerate blunders, no matter what esteemed rank or relations his officers may have had.

“...The Admiral was pursuing a target, the one we’ve been looking for; he insisted that all attention was kept on her. He… was quite inebriated.” The soldier paused for a moment, before continuing in a halting, hesitant whisper, “Admiral Alfonso was not in a state to make sound decisions.”

A crew of fifty men for a single unarmed ship. The absurdity of it all only matched the First Admiral Alfonso’s incompetence.

“...And what about the Vice-Captain?” Galcian inquired.

“He… He honored the Imperial Armada to the very end, my Lord! There was no foul play. The air pirates… they defeated us in a fair fight.” The soldier hung his head low.

Ramirez had known, and so did Lord Galcian. That sniveling coward had lied in his report. According to him, his own Vice-Captain had turned his back on them and allowed the air pirates on board. 

A ridiculous tale only spun to impress his simpering Upper City consorts. Even after all these years, Ramirez still felt the dim heat of anger broil in his stomach at the injustice of it all. He clenched his jaw, forcing himself to stare straight ahead.

Regardless of his feelings on Valua as a whole, it was an objective fact that Alfonso's Vice-Captain was far more valuable as a soldier than the pathetic excuse for an Admiral he had answered to. Once again, Alfonso had proved himself to be little more than a liability.

“Thank you, Officer, for your accurate report. You can raise your head.” 

The soldier met the Lord Admiral’s eyes, his fear obvious.

“You are hereby transferred, effective immediately. I believe you have no objections to joining my division?”

The officer heaved a sigh of relief, bowing low. Lord Galcian was a fair commander to any deserving troop. 

“Thank you, Lord Galcian! There is no greater honor!” 

He was right -- there wasn’t. Ramirez hoped, for that man’s sake, that he would not make Lord Galcian regret his decision. As the man left the room, Galcian got up from his seat, walking toward the large bay window behind the table.

"It is just the two of us now, Ramirez; you may speak your mind as well," his Lord spoke, as his eyes were fixed on the horizon.

Ramirez allowed himself to relax by a margin, but took care to respect the rank between them.

"Admiral Alfonso is only bringing shame to you and everything you stand for. If it were up to me, I would have him removed from your presence."

The smooth cadence of his voice came out in a hiss of venom, his hatred for the man unhidden. Ramirez had a known distaste for the nobility of Upper City. They were so obsessed with their base greed and their reputation that they were blind to everything else. Blind to those they stepped on to achieve their success.

And the Duke of Valdez was simultaneously the embodiment of Upper Valuan standards and the very personification of all their vices.

"Stay calm, Ramirez. Do not waste your energy on him." Galcian wisely advised.

He was right, of course, but the anger inside him still burned. Lord Galcian had handpicked the finest men and women among his highest-ranking officers... except for Alfonso. Despite leading the Armada, Galcian still had the Empress to answer to, and she was the one who insisted on adding Alfonso among their ranks. Frankly, both Galcian and Ramirez saw it for what it was: favoritism toward her relative. Seeing a man such as Alfonso as second in command, whose sole qualification was his birthright, was a hard pill to swallow.

“Calm down and focus…” Lord Galcian spoke again, and Ramirez instinctively closed his eyes.

By Galcian’s side, he found the closest thing he found to peace. His Lord spoke, quieting everything in him; his anger, and everything else he felt, turning cold. It was a stillness that felt close to being dead. 

Having found his way to his Still Place, his thoughts focused on her, his memory of her. Her energy felt like ripples on a water’s surface. Gentle, weak… but growing wider and stronger as if she was calling out to him. 

The Lord Admiral placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Tell me... What are you seeing?” He gripped Ramirez’s shoulder as if to return him to reality, but not harshly enough to break his focus. He was more like an anchor, there to keep him from drifting away.

“I am sensing her clearly, Lord Galcian…” He felt a twist in his heart, but quickly buried it.

“We shall depart now then. Guide me, Ramirez…”

* * *

The day had gone by in the blink of an eye, the children were spent after the games but smiling. Lindsi and Jimmy waved as they left to go to their respective families while a sleepy Alan was carried back by one of his fathers. 

The sky was coloring itself an orange hue as the sun was beginning to set. Looking at it, Vyse had an idea.

"Hey Fina, there's something I'd like to show you."

Pirate Isle was composed of a formation of floating islands, connected by ladders and bridges. High above was what they called Lookout Island. As the name implied it was where they kept watch for any visitors and potential attacks, and on afternoons such as these, it was a great spot for relaxing. 

Vyse had climbed first and reached out to help Fina up as she followed behind. She was visibly exhausted from the long climb and had stopped in the middle of the way to catch her breath; Aika took it upon herself to give her a boost on the rest of the way.

"T-Thank you… It certainly is high… Your houses look so small from here" Fina noted with awe in her voice. 

She took Vyse’s hand and finally climbed onto Lookout Island.

"You can say that again… Moons, climbing up here takes forever." Came Aika's voice, lifting herself up from the ladder.

She smiled regardless. 

"The view is so worth it though!"

Vyse let go of Fina's hand as they approached the bench. Her eyes were focused on the reddening skies, wide as she took in the scenery. The sun was sinking slowly as another hectic day ended, its golden rays still tinting the island. No matter how many times he witnessed this spectacle, Vyse never tired of it.

He and Aika sat down but Fina stayed on her feet as if she had forgotten her tiredness as she watched the sky.

"It's so beautiful…" Fina whispered. 

He smiled, his gaze fixed on the horizon.

"I love it up here, it's so peaceful."

He’d often used that place as his own personal hideout when he needed time alone. Being there with Aika and Fina now, it felt like he could be open and speak the words that seemed buried inside him for a while.

"When I'm up here, I often wonder what lies beyond the sky...Beyond the sunset…"

Whatever was out there was calling to him, and meeting Fina, someone from beyond Mid Ocean, he realized now how little he had seen.

"Some say there're monsters. Others say there's a maelstrom that either blows ships away or pulls them in and...they're never seen again. And there are others that just say...it's impossible…"

Vyse always hated that word. 

"I want to know what's out there... Besides, I don’t like giving up on anything without giving it my best shot. "

He glanced at Aika, noticing she was watching him, her eyes reflecting the sunlight. The fire in her gaze told him everything he needed to know. It encouraged him to speak up, looking back to the horizon.

“Someday, I’ll be the captain of my own ship. I’ll go beyond that sunset, and I’ll see what’s out there.” He spoke, making that promise to himself. 

“Wow… I bet if you could go beyond the sunset, the sky would look even more beautiful.” Aika murmured. 

A gust of wind blew by as a brief silence settled over them. As if by some unseen cue, Vyse and Aika were suddenly on their feet, their gaze drawing Fina’s up to the sky, where blue streaks of light began to cut through the heavens. Vyse zoomed in with his glass eyepatch, seeing one such light land on the island northwest from their hometown.

“That was…” Fina breathed.

“A moonstone falling!” Vyse nodded with a smirk.

The moons blessed the world with occasional moonstones raining down. They were their sources of energy for their ships, equipment, and so much more. Seeing them falling was far from being a rare occurrence, but the natural consequence of their world being more sky than earth, the moonstones ended up sinking below the clouds, lost to them forever.

“You… You know what moonstones are, right?” Vyse asked.

“O-Oh yes, it was just my first time seeing one falling.”

Aika nudged Vyse’s arms, grinning.

“Hey Vyse, know what that means? That moonstone looked big, and it’s waiting for us!”

Vyse smiled back. Aika was never one to miss an opportunity to go on treasure hunts.

“Tomorrow, we’re checking this out!” He approved.

“That’s what I like to hear!” 

Below them came a voice calling to them.

“Vyse, Aika, Fina!!! It’s time for dinner!” Vyse’s mother called.

“Ooooh! Great timing! I love your mom’s cooking so much.” His best friend’s tone was enthusiastic, but she marked a pause, looking at Fina with concern. “Are you going to be okay climbing down, Fina?” Aika inquired.

“Of course, thank you for your hospitality…” The girl bowed. 

“Hey, don’t mention it! Come on, the food’s better while it’s hot!’’ Vyse ran to the ladder, letting himself slide down with the edges. 

Thanks to his little stunt, he reached his house early, his mouth already salivating.

“Wait…” In all his years in Pirate Isle, he had come to expect the staple foods, namely sky sardis and pickled turnips. However, the aroma was unmistakable.

“Valuan beef stew?!” He exclaimed, opening the door.

“Hello, Vyse.” His mom smiled, but she looked at him, expectantly.

Vyse’s expression grew sheepish. Blue Rogue though he may be, he still needed to mind his manners.

“Ah!...Hi mom. It smells so good, is it really beef stew?”

“The recent raid brought us some interesting ingredients, yes.” 

Vyse hurried at his mother’s side, setting the table, just as Aika came in.

“You’re a daredevil, you know that? What happened to ‘Ladies first’???” She pouted, Fina following behind and bowing to his mother.

“Um… I didn’t forget about it! Proof, I’m helping out my mom right here!” He huffed.

Aika nudged him and muttered low enough so only he could hear.

“Nice excuse.”

“Now, now… Play nice, we have a guest here.”Vyse’s mother said, setting the steaming hot pot in the middle of the table, smiling warmly at their new friend.

“Thank you so much… I… I hope I’m not intruding’’ Fina said meekly.

“Nonsense! It’s been so long since we’ve had a guest, please, have a seat.” 

As Vyse finished his task, he looked around noticing someone wasn't with them.

"Dad is pretty late… What a surprise!"

He smirked, but it was short-lived as Dyne poked his head inside.

"You got a lot of nerve saying that to your Captain."

Vyse was about to retort that they were not on the Albatross anymore, but wisely held his tongue. His mother gasped as she saw the fancy rose bouquet Dyne had brought her. 

"I do hope you'll forgive me," Dyne whispered, embracing his wife.

"I'll let it slide" She smiled against his lips.

Looking at them still blushing and in love like newly-weds was beautiful to see and somewhat bittersweet. Vyse reflexively looked away from his parents - only to end up locking eyes with Aika. Before he could wonder why she was looking his way, she broke the gaze, sitting down at the table.

He couldn't shake the feeling that something was somehow off.

"...So, Vyse? Are you going to eat before we finish the stew?" Aika said, just teasing him like always.

Thankful to direct his attention to the meal, Vyse joined them. The rest of dinner went by without incident, the conversation eventually veering toward Shrine Island. Dyne had allowed Vyse and Aika to borrow one of the Albatross’s dinghies for their excursions.

After a much-needed night of rest, Vyse woke up with the sun and Aika’s voice calling up to him outside: They were ready to go.

* * *

Aika greeted both Vyse and Fina as they joined her outside Captain Dyne's house. Pirate Isle was still quiet, except for the few early risers. Despite their hometown being asleep, Aika's voice carried the same as usual.

"Good morning! Did you sleep well, Fina?"

"Oh yes, thank you so much." The girl's soft voice made Aika realize how loud she was in comparison, her own tone lowering to match hers.

"I'm glad! I wish you could come with us, but Shrine Island is pretty dangerous."

...And Fina didn't look like the kind of girl who could do much in a fight, but Aika kept that part to herself.

"...And pretty haunted." Vyse teased, earning himself a well-deserved lovetap.

She knew he was joking...Probably, but Aika shivered at the thought regardless.

" _Very_ funny!"

"Ow! Alright, sorry...Guess I deserved that. We'll be going. Make yourself at home in the meantime, Fina!"

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Vyse's mother called him.

Vyse looked positively clueless.

"Um, what? A goodbye kiss?" He ventured.

"Pfff...Really cute." Aika laughed as he blushed.

"You know I'm never against it, but this is what I meant." Vyse's mother handed both rogues a bag with supplies, including healing crystals.

Aika smiled, feeling a surge of affection for her once again. She was always looking out for the two of them.

"Awww thank you!"

"Thanks, mom…Wait, that's…"

Aika blinked, noticing something else in her own package as well. 

Both had received a refined purple moonstone. These were pretty rare!

"That's your share of the loot." Dyne said, joining the conversation.

"Slot this into your weapon and it will give them the properties of ice."

Well, that explained why the moonstone felt cold to the touch.

"Thanks, Cap'n!"

With their preparations done, they said their goodbyes and headed to the dinghy, Vyse taking his place at the wheel. Looking at him feeling right at home there, Aika couldn’t help but smile again.

“Everything okay?” He asked, noticing her staring.

‘’Oh… It’s nothing.” Aika shook her head. 

It was nothing important anyway.

She leaned against the rail watching a school of sky fish pass them by, peacefully swimming into the clouds. For how big Mid Ocean was, it sure felt empty… Only a few islands scattered here and there. At least here they were free, under no Imperial rule, although it didn’t prevent them from seeing Valuan vessels patrolling. In their small boat they risked nothing; they could pass for simple fishermen. 

As her gaze wandered, she looked down at the Vortex spinning endlessly below. To Aika, it looked like the mouth of Deep Sky itself… Seeing Shrine Island floating alone in Mid Sky, right above what the common Arcadian thought was the gate to oblivion, felt more than just a little ominous.

“Don’t tell me you’re getting cold feet!” Vyse teased.

“You’re lucky you’re steering the ship right now, you know that?” 

Aika’s eyes returned to the approaching Shrine Island. 

“It just feels so mysterious, you know? No one has really been there. It’s an old ruin but… That’s all we really know about it.”

Shrine Island was smaller than their hometown, oval in shape. In the middle of a lake, no doubt made by years of accumulated rainwater, towered the island’s namesake. It was covered with moss and dirt, but in the rising sun, some silvery highlights shone through. They couldn’t quite tell if the place was made out of rock or metal or something else in-between.

“The tower looks more impressive up-close!” Vyse commented, his neck craning to look up to the summit of the central tower. 

Aika, however, was more interested in the gaping hole in the temple’s wall; the water from the lake was flooding inside, her hopes for an easy prize immediately dampened.

“Nooooooooooo! At this rate, the whole of the temple is probably filled with water! You know I can’t swim, Vyse!” She wailed, her voice reverberating on the walls. 

“I know, I know but we can’t have come here to give up so soon! Let’s at least have a look around, maybe there’s a safe way to go in.” Vyse spoke in a hushed tone in response.

Aika heaved a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, following her best friend across the bridge. Water was all around them, calm and reflecting the upper sky like a mirror. As beautiful and peaceful as it was, she felt a knot in her stomach, picking up the pace and practically running into Vyse’s back.

“Easy there!” He looked ready to poke fun at her but something in her expression must have made him change his mind.

“Hey… Don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen to you.”

She gulped, feeling her face heat up.

“Yeah… I know.” She muttered. 

They crossed the bridge, Aika relaxing as she stepped away from the water. Approaching the door, lacking any kinds of levers, switch, or doorknob, Aika wondered how they would even get in there.

“There has to be--” Vyse barely finished speaking before the door opened. 

“Did… Did the door mistake that as ‘Open Sesame?’ ...What did you do?”

‘’Nothing! ...Maybe a ghost opened it for us” Vyse smirked.

Aika was just about ready to go back across the bridge and let Vyse handle this.

“I’m just kidding! It’s probably just old technology. ...Woah, I can see the moonstone shining from here!”

Aika returned immediately. Vyse sure knew the magic words… And he was right, she could see the silver light shining bright… deep underwater. The place was indeed flooded. 

“Now what? Are you planning to dive and bring it back?” Aika muttered bitterly. 

Their treasure was so close, yet so far…

“Aika, do you see that door underwater? If we can open it from outside, we could drain the place.”

“The water from the lake is still flowing in though…”

At least there was still a walkable passageway, and the water had reached its maximum level, so they didn’t risk drowning. 

The more they explored Shrine Island, the stranger the place became. Doors opening on their own, white flames lighting up as they walked by (and even more bizarre, said flames didn’t even feel hot to the touch) and a strange apparatus managed to lower the whole inside of the shrine, the gaping hole made by the fallen moonstone ending up covered up by the lowered wall. 

As soon as the place stopped its descent, they felt free to move again. 

“You know what I find even creepier?” Aika eventually spoke up.

“Aside from everything we’ve already seen?” Vyse commented, glancing as another flame lit up, a floating ring spinning around it, just like every other.

“Yeah… It’s just, I have a big feeling of deja vu.” Aika pondered as she looked at the strange glowing letters on the spinning ring.

It didn’t look like their own alphabet, and yet, it felt strangely familiar. Vyse blinked in confusion.

“You’ve… Never been here before though, right?”

“Of course not! That’s why it’s bothering me!” She sighed. “…Let’s just keep going.” 

After much walking and searching, and dealing with the occasional attacks of creatures, Vyse and Aika found a door unflooded leading to outside, the sun visibly up now, proving they had spent quite a while inside. They wound up below the island itself on a pathway that seemed to be made of glass, the Vortex awaiting them if they made any wrong moves.

“Whoever built that sure lived dangerously…” Aika wasn’t particularly scared of heights, but making a catwalk out in the open sky was still a bit much… 

Vyse pressed his foot down harder, visibly putting his full weight on the glass. 

“We should be fine. That thing obviously lasted for years, but…” His voice trailed off as he stared at the patterns on the glass.

“What’s wrong?”

“Ah, nothing. Let’s get moving, we have the place to drain!” 

As they kept progressing forward, they formed a line, the pathway not allowing them to walk side by side. 

Eventually, their feet felt hard ground as they moved to the island's center, but space felt more limited than ever. In some parts of the island, the ground's edge had eroded away, the path ending up unstable. They formed a line, then ended up placing themselves against the wall, side-stepping. 

Aika held her breath, following Vyse's cue. She couldn't even close her eyes, if she missed a step or sneezed, there'd be nothing to help her.

Thankfully the rest of the path didn't suffer the same damage, even allowing the two to walk next to each other. 

"You know, we could just have taken the dinghy and moved under the island… If your parents saw the stunt we pulled, they'd both chew us out"

"That's why we're going to keep quiet about it… I admit I didn't think this one through" Vyse said sheepishly.

After what felt like forever they finally reached an immense door. 

"So um...How do we go about this?" Aika tried waving an arm, but the door remained shut.

She sighed and looked back at her friend, his own eyes widening in realization. They had gone this far and already risked their lives several times… What was one more stunt going to do? Aika took a deep breath, and stepped forward.

"Aika?!"

This time she would be the one testing her reflexes, just like Vyse had done with the War Beast in the Valuan Ship. The door cracked open and she saw the water trickling through… And _froze._

The next thing she knew, she was on her back, gazing up at her friend’s face. His mouth opened to speak, but all she could hear was the rushing of a lake's worth of water pouring out of the open doorway.

"Vyse… I…" She breathed, realizing what had transpired once the noise subsided.

"Thank the Moons…" He sighed, his smile soft.

"I guess now wasn't the time to practice my reflexes… Thank you Vyse… For saving me again."

Just like that time, he had pulled her out of the well when they were little, shivering and coughing; he had saved her life. And it wasn't the only time either. The crescent-shaped scar underneath his left eye was another reminder.

"So… I get to look cool in your eyes again?" He grinned.

"Of course, silly… Though that won't save you from the teasing" She smiled back, and then she realized their position, the smile turning slightly impish.

"Are you going to stay like this all day? What would your mom say if she saw us?"

Vyse's expression was blank at first, before he blushed as the implication dawned on him, immediately stepping away.

"Sorry! Here… " 

Aika reached out for his outstretched hand, getting back on her feet. 

By the time it happened, the water had been fully drained.

"Wait!"

Aika let go of her friend's hand in panic.

"What about the moonstone?!"

Thankfully it was still there, waiting for them. It was still wedged in the ground, in the crater it had dug up.

"You see the size of that thing? It's like a cannonball!" He exclaimed excitedly. 

Aika was just about to rush in when she noticed something in the corner of her eyes. What seemed like a pile of rubble started shaking. Aika's eyes widened in shock, a scream escaping her.

"Those rocks, they're moving?!"

The pieces assembled, forming an eerily humanoid shape. And the noise it produced… It made Aika's ears ring as the silver stones on the sentinel-like creature shone, scattering painful rays of light as it seemed to search the room, until its “gaze” stopped on them.

"Uh oh… Whatever it just did, it noticed us!" Vyse readied his cutlasses as Aika grabbed the boomerang on her belt.

The body of the creature seemed to be made of the same material as the whole tower… It wouldn't bleed or get hurt like them. 

"You have a plan?" Aika muttered before the sentinel raised its fist.

Thankfully they had the advantage of speed over it but there wasn't much room to move. Outside the room waited the void and inside there was rubble, and the ground was leveled, making for poor footing.

"Shh…" Aika bit her tongue on the incoming curse as she nearly tripped. 

There came that noise again. The sentinel really couldn't _see_ them, strictly speaking, its searchlight doing the job of detecting them.

She heard the clash of Vyse's cutlasses against the stone, each of his moves well executed but ultimately ineffective.

"I guess my "Cutlass Fury" only works on organic enemies" He said bitterly.

"You're still calling it, that?" 

...Now wasn't the time for friendly banter though. Vyse was in trouble and barely avoiding the sentinel's hits, fatigue catching up to him.

Aika's eyes darted around the room for something--Anything! The place was rife with humidity and cold; fire magic wouldn't be effective.

Her eyes lit up. 

But ice would… And there was still a remaining puddle of water near the crashed moonstone.

"Vyse! Get over here!"

She needed him to attract the sentinel to where she wanted it. The red-haired girl switched out the former moonstone on her boomerang, its hue changing from green to a cold purple.

She focused her thoughts on the water, picturing it turning to ice as she channeled her magic. 

Far away as the purple moon may be, she could feel its energy rushing back to her as the sentinel stepped heavily toward her, raising its elongated cannon arm.

Aika opened her eyes again, staring down the black void of its cannon.

"Moons...Give me strength!" She had uttered the chant quietly, but the effect was anything but that. 

The water of the puddle surged up into an ice pillar, rushing through the cannon arm as it was about to fire. The charged-up shot backfired, destroying the sentinel's arm and most importantly, what served as its "eyes".

It seemed the reaction also destroyed whatever served as the sentinel's core. The “stones” of its body toppled upon each other and fell back onto the ground, never to move again.

"That was...amazing." 

Aika felt a flush of heat in her cheeks at the compliment, but more powerful than anything was the relief of surviving the ordeal.

"Looks like we'll be safe now…"

Aika returned her gaze to the shining silver moonstone.

"It's so beautiful… Treasure hunting is definitely my favorite part of being an air pirate! I can't wait to see everyone's face!"

She got up and bumped fists and hands with her best friend in their "secret handshake", a tradition for their successful heists.

All that was left to do was to carry back their prize, and to enjoy their hero’s welcome upon their return.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. A Chilly Reception

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vyse and Aika don't exactly receive the welcome they expected and the story goes into a new direction...

The sun was slowly reaching its zenith, shining warmly above Pirate Isle. Looking at the peaceful village though, Fina understood how they could remain hidden to the world at large. She closed her eyes, listening to a melodic chirping sound, unlike anything she’d heard before. Recalling her books back home, she could associate the sound with an animal she’d read about once. So that was the sound birds made…

“Seeing you enjoying yourself so much, I had to step out too.” A cheerful and gentle voice said from nearby. 

Fina opened her eyes, directing her gaze at the young brunette woman.

“It’s a beautiful day out. My name is Fina, I don’t think we’ve had the pleasure to meet?” 

The young lady laughed pleasantly.

“You’re so polite! My name is Jessica, I’m Patch’s wife.” The woman sat next to her house, holding some sort of clothing and needles in her hands.

Meanwhile, Fina tried to recall the face to whom the name belonged. One of the men drinking in the tavern the day prior, a deckhand if she remembered correctly. The young woman began poking at the cloth with her needles as Fina watched from a distance, entranced. It was an interesting way to make clothes… 

The elders might have considered it primitive, but seeing it made with such love gave Fina bittersweet feelings. 

“Are you making me another scarf, dear?” Called a voice, belonging to Jessica’s husband.

“Maybe? I haven’t decided what I’m going to make yet...” Jessica replied, her voice trailing off. 

Fina averted her eyes, closing them again, enjoying the weather, the sounds of nature, and leaving the couple to their conversation. In her most serene moments, she could feel the ripples of other’s lives around her. That one to the north was Jimmy… Pow running with Lindsi… Patch and Jessica… And a faint, tiny life shining bright at the woman’s core.

_Oh._

Fina smiled again, glancing at Jessica as the latter lovingly resumed her work, eyes sparkling. 

* * *

Alan grunted, his bony arms trembling as he carried the cannonball, his small legs threatening to buckle under the weight.

"Hey hey! What did I say about trying to move things without supervision!" His dad Briggs took over, taking the load off his arms, Alan immediately feeling relief.

In his young eyes, his fathers looked like the strongest men in the world. Seeing someone like Vyse, only seven years older than him, he couldn't wait to grow up and be strong too.

"Don't try to do the heavy lifting by yourself, you'll only get hurt," Briggs warned, placing the ship's ammunition in its place.

"Sorry, daddy… I just wanted to help." Alan's head hung low.

Out of all his friends, he was always the weakest. While Lindsi and Jimmy could run forever with Pow, he was always lagging behind, out of breath.

Briggs patted his shoulder.

"And you can, there's plenty of things you can do on a ship. You can help with cleaning and in the galley--"

"But… Is it going to make me a better sailor?" Alan looked up again, eyes full of hope.

“Of course it will. You know, your dad didn’t become a gunner on his first day. ...And I polished at least a thousand cannonballs before becoming Vice-Captain.” Despite the startled look on his son’s face, Briggs laughed as if the chores were just a fun memory. 

Alan’s eyes grew wide.

“A thousand… I’ll get started right now!” He decided.

He would skip on playing time if he had to! As if his dad had read his mind, he was stopped.

“Hey, you know you don’t have to hurry up and become an adult right this second!” 

Alan looked back to his father quizzically. 

“You have a lot of time, heck, even more time than I do. You can still play with your friends, enjoy your childhood, and next time we’re sailing… We’re both taking you with us. How does that sound?” 

The young boy let out a gasp. 

“Really? Even if I throw up?” He muttered sheepishly.

“Vyse used to get airsick all the time and… Don’t tell him I told you, but Boris used to as well. Your body will get used to it eventually. For that, you just need to earn your air legs.” Briggs said encouragingly.

“Alright! If you had to polish cannonballs a thousand times to become a Vice-Captain… Then I’ll throw up a thousand times until I become a good sailor!” He declared.

His father smiled proudly, patting his shoulder again.

“Your friends are waiting for you up here; how about you join them?” 

Alan nodded and threw his arms around his dad. 

“I have the best dads in the world! I’ll make you both proud one day!” 

“You already do, son.” His father hugged him back as Alan’s eyes watered, but he blinked the tears away, grinning. 

He ran back up to the island’s topside village, occasionally stopping to catch his breath. One day he would be able to run sprints and win races against Jimmy without wheezing, he promised himself. 

“There you are!” Jimmy called to him, waving. 

Alan wiped the sweat off his brow, panting, but kept his head high. 

“What are we playing?” He asked, ignoring his tiredness.

Jimmy, being the de-facto leader of their little gang, decided on a game, and another day of playing began. For Alan, that was his normal everyday life: Sleeping, waking up, eating, playing, and then the days would go by in a flash. 

The birds suddenly flocked away, their chirping stopping.

And the rest happened quickly… too quickly. The first thing he heard was the words ‘’Imperial Armada’’ and Alan knew he had to run. The rule was to never use the words “Armada” or “Valuans” in their games, and if they ever heard an adult say it, they needed to hide in the underground base. 

Alan had always thought his home was safe. The Valuans had never attacked them before… They always passed by, thinking it was just a normal village, but… 

Alan was shoved out of the way, held tightly against his father Boris’ chest, just in time to avoid the bombshell hitting the plaza. Alan’s ears rang. He wanted to see if everyone was okay, but his father pressed him tighter, getting back on his feet. Alan stayed glued to his father, his eyes squeezed shut as the ringing gave way to screaming.

“Everyone get underground! Women and children first! Hurry!’’ The Captain’s voice thundered above all else. 

Alan felt hands trying to tug him away, making him hold on even more tightly to Boris.

“Please Alan, we have to go!” He heard Miss Jessica’s voice. 

“What about my dad?” Tears escaped his eyes as he fought back against them.

“Listen to me, Alan… You have to protect our home and your friends down there, that’s your role as a blue rogue, you got it?” 

His father looked him straight in the eyes, and Alan felt his grip slacken, allowing the woman to carry him away. 

* * *

Mabel rubbed her eyes lazily, the world spinning around her. Last night’s celebration had taken a heavy toll on her body. Maybe that fourth loqua bottle hadn’t been such a good idea. She made her way toward the underground docks, ready to blow chunks. 

The hideout was rowdier than usual, pulling her out of her hungover daze. 

“What’s happening here?...”

She grabbed the first woman she encountered by the shoulders. 

“Valuans! They found us!!! Captain Dyne is fighting above… Moons, where’s Lindsi?” Martha cried.

“Er… Don’t worry your pretty little head, I’ll get her to you! Stay hidden in here!”

Of all the times for an attack! Mabel bit her lip and made her way to the topside, doing her best to ignore the churning in her stomach. 

Thankfully, she was quick to find Martha’s daughter, wailing but unhurt.

“Granny won’t get out of the house!” She cried.

Their oldest resident was a stubborn lady and a devout believer in the benevolence of the six Moons. She’d probably decided to leave her fate to Them. Mabel tried not to swear in front of a kid. 

“Let her be, I’ll handle it! Right now, go find your mom! She’s worried sick about you… Just… Go!” 

Lindsi nodded, her sobbing unceasing, but at least her tiny legs got moving. Mabel was ready to drag the old woman to safety even if she had to carry her, but a firm and painful grasp on her arm stopped her.

“I recognize you, Air pirate wench!” A Valuan soldier yelled, tightening his grip as he attempted to yank her away.

The sudden shift in perspective was the last straw on her poor stomach, adding a whole new color to the man’s uniform.

‘’ What the…?! You damned tramp!--’’ He lifted his arm, ready to punch the daylights out of her.

“I’M PREGNANT!” Mabel screamed before she could even think.

Valuans were a superstitious bunch, and their laws were strict. They never arrested or executed a woman who was with child, at least according to popular hearsay. 

The soldier froze in shock as another called to him.

“Leave her, the pirates already surrendered and we got what we were looking for!”

The soldier shoved her away, grunting in disgust. Mabel could only furrow her brows as she watched the crew, their Captain included, being marched away with their hands tied behind their backs. Glancing up, she saw exactly why...Galcian’s Flagship.

And he wasn’t alone either. 

“A full battle squadron for this?!” The sight made her blood boil. 

The Lord Admiral himself had assembled his fleet… The consternation gave way to confusion. Her eyes met Dyne’s. The captain shook his head. Resistance was futile… She knew that. It didn’t assuage her anger. 

She reluctantly walked back. She’d used quick thinking to avoid getting hanged. She couldn’t afford to waste it. 

The whole underground hideout had turned into pandemonium. The soldiers were making sure to round up any remaining air pirates and destroy any weapons they could find, the huddled villagers watching from the sides as they did.

Mabel could feel the bile burning her throat. They didn’t care about the stolen supplies; they were sending a message. Dyne’s wife approached her, her head held high and her eyes dry, but Mabel knew it was only a front.

“Were Vyse and Aika there?...” She asked, voice tight.

“No… It doesn’t look like they’re back yet. I didn’t see them with the Captain.”

“...Thank the Moons…” The mother bit her lip but showed no further sign of emotions, opting to retreat into Dyne’s office. Mabel let her be, leaning against the wall and shutting her eyes, waiting for the Imperial bastards to leave.

* * *

Ramirez watched from the Serpent, Lord Galcian’s flagship, as the troops were being deployed. He felt Fina’s energy, getting closer as she was brought to the ship. They had finally found her...Just as Lord Galcian wished. 

“They seem very organized for a small village that is under siege. I don’t know who their leader is, but he seems very capable. Perhaps Alfonso was in over his head.” His Lord observed.

“...Perhaps.” Ramirez made no further comment, his voice still seething. 

He closed his eyes, quieting down his emotions, a mix of anger, and something else he refused to give a name to. It only brought him pain and distraction. Ramirez only needed to find his Still Place, to better serve Lord Galcian’s wishes. 

Fina was merely a tool for his Lord’s conquest… Nothing more.

“It appears that the battle is over. Retrieve the girl and bring her to me. We are taking the Air Pirates alive; they will need to be interrogated when we return to Valua. And be sure to destroy their ship as well… ” Galcian ordered coldly. 

“And if they resist, Lord Galcian? What does Your Excellency wish me to do if the situation arises?”

It would be incredibly pointless to retaliate considering the pirates’ current disadvantage, but Ramirez was not one to overlook any possibilities. He rested his hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to strike down any dissidents himself.

“I don’t think they’re foolish enough to resist. However, if something should happen… Burn the village and kill them all. Let the bodies rot in the sun and leave one of our flags to set an example for others who may defy us.”

Ramirez soon found the pirates’ leader to be reasonable, the extreme measure being unnecessary. As Ramirez made his way down to the lower decks, he met with the newly recruited soldier from Alfonso’s fleet. The soldier hurriedly saluted.

“Sir! The pirates and the girl are down in the brig! I was just about to deliver the news to the Lord Admiral, sir!” He spoke in that earnest, eager-to-please voice... Which grated on Ramirez’s nerves, he found out. 

“This is unnecessary, Lord Galcian is already aware, soldier. More importantly… Are you intending to disgrace my Lord by showing yourself in that manner?” Ramirez furrowed his brow, glaring down at the stained uniform. 

“F-Forgive me, sir! I’ll get changed at once. Stupid wench and her morning sickness…”

Ramirez raised his hand dismissively.

“I don’t want to hear it, get changed. ...I’ll have someone else bring the girl to Lord Galcian.”

Ramirez sighed, watching as the soldier retreated after performing one last salute. He didn’t particularly hate the man, but perhaps seeing him so earnest and willing to prove himself hit too close to home. Regardless… Ramirez had as much sympathy for him as he would for a dead rat. 

He didn’t hear the scream, but he could feel it. A disruption in Fina’s energy. He hurriedly walked downstairs, skipping a few steps as he felt a rush of rage. 

“What do you think you’re doing?!” Ramirez didn’t raise his tone; he didn’t need to. 

The soldier he faced froze, shaking visibly, holding an unconscious Fina by the shoulders like a limp doll. The man fumbled with his words.

“Sir! She was resisting and--” 

“I do not care what you do to the Air Pirates, however, we explicitly stated that the girl was not to be harmed under any circumstances!” Ramirez took her from the soldier.

Perhaps her being unconscious was a blessing in disguise, but he didn’t let his doubts show.

“So… She does have something special to her…” One of the Air Pirates spoke from the brig, a mustached middle-aged man. 

“That is not any of your business, Rogue. You will not live to see the next lunar cycle.” 

“We’ll see about that, Valuan.” The man spoke, his eyes devoid of fear.

So that was their leader, Ramirez assumed. 

“Leave, soldier, get out of my sight!” Ramirez harshly barked at the guard responsible for Fina’s state. 

As soon as they were left alone, Ramirez shifted his grip to better support the unconscious girl.

“One more thing… Do not call me ‘Valuan’.” He nearly spat the words at the Air Pirate, not even bothering to look at him. He left the room along with the warning.

* * *

They could tell something was wrong even before setting foot on the ground. Black smoke rose from Pirate Isle, visible even from a distance. They encountered an old fishing boat on the way.

“H-Hey! Sir! Did you come by Windmill island?!” Aika called to the white-haired old man on board. 

Not once did he turn toward them, only grunting.

“You’d better leave that place be if you know what’s good for you. The Armada showed up and swept the village.” He spoke bluntly, continuing on his way.

“...W-What?” Aika froze and tried calling back to the fisherman, but it was no use; he wouldn’t tell them anything else.

Hearing the news was one thing, but seeing it with her own eyes was something else… Aika’s heart sank. The Windmill, the very symbol of their small town, was barely standing. And her house…

“Aika!” Vyse called to her, but she ran, her vision getting blurry. Everything… From her house to the flowers she was growing in front of it… It had all been burned down.

“Aika…” She felt her friend’s hand on her trembling shoulder. 

“How… How could they…” Any remaining words seemed to be stuck in her throat. 

She rubbed her eyes with her gloved hand.

“I’m… I’ll be fine.” Aika bit back her tears, turning toward the village… Sprawled out in the center of the ruins was Ben the lookout. 

They both hurried to his side.

“Ben! Come on, please tell me you’re okay--!” Vyse checked his pulse while Aika channeled her green magic.

He was still breathing… While Aika could mend his wounds and stop the bleeding, he still needed medical attention. No doubt he had more than a few broken bones.

“Vyse...Aika… Is that you?” He grunted.

“Try not to move! We’ll get help… Moons, what happened out here?!” Vyse exclaimed.

“The women and children ...took cover underground… We couldn’t do…” 

“Ben! ...He’s unconscious.” Aika shook her head. 

They couldn’t afford to move him or his wounds would worsen… Biting her lip, Aika got up to her feet, leading them underground. Inside the underground hideout, the heavy stench of smoke lingered, making Aika cough on reflex. 

The Valuans didn’t spare anything… Their sailing ship, Captain’s Dyne pride and joy, was in ruins.

Jessica leaned against the outer wall of Dyne’s office, clutching at some half-knitted clothes, her brows furrowed until she heard them approach.

“I’m so glad you’re both safe! Your mother was worried sick, Vyse. Please… Let her know you’re okay.”

“I will! Please let Erinn know there’s someone injured topside!” Vyse said before entering the office. Aika followed closely behind, her mind still trying to process everything. 

His mother waited for them, getting up from her seat as they approached.

“You’re both okay!” She hurried to them, wrapping her arms around both of them. 

Aika felt her eyes stinging again despite herself as she leaned against the woman’s shoulder. 

“We should have been there!” Aika cried, shaking in her arms.

“They would have taken you away too if you were… They outnumbered us. There was no way to fight back… I’m relieved you’re both still here.” 

Vyse and Aika both stepped back, exchanging glances.

“Then… The Captain and everyone…” Aika muttered, breathless.

Vyse’s mother dropped her gaze.

“Your father said that if we fought, too many lives would be lost. So, he… he surrendered. They were taken prisoner by the Armada and taken to Valua.”

Aika shook her head. Her thoughts were a frantic mess. She knew she had to act and she didn’t plan on staying here with her arms crossed, but what were they supposed to do?! 

“Damn! ...Fina! What happened to Fina?!” The urgency in Vyse’s voice brought her out of her thoughts, and she felt her heart sink once more as they learned that Fina had been taken as well.

“The Valuans won’t let them live! Fina might be killed too if we do nothing!” She met Vyse’s gaze, waiting for him to speak up.

“We’re not letting that happen, of course! We’re rescuing them all, Aika. Our families and Fina!” He spoke with confidence, his eyes bright with hope. ‘’I know it’s not going to be easy, but it’s not impossible. We’re not losing them… You’re not losing them, I promise.” 

Aika wiped her eyes before the tears could fall.

She smiled through the ones that remained. “You’re right! It’s up to us now, isn’t it?” 

“...Now that’s what I like to hear!” Another voice piped up. 

“Mabel! You’re here too!” Aika’s eyes widened at seeing the raider, leaning nonchalantly against the door frame. 

“I managed to escape their clutches with some trickery… You weren’t thinking I’d let you two break in Valua without me, were you?! I haven’t said my piece to those scum!” The raider smirked, palming her fist. 

Aika smiled back, feeling her spirit rekindled. 

“Of course not! We’ll show those Valuans what happens when they mess with the Blue Rogues!” 

As far as she was concerned, she was ready to leave right away, but it was Vyse’s mother who stopped her. 

“Wait, you won’t be able to do anything against Valua in the shape you’re in right now. Don’t just rush after them. You’ll need a plan first. It’s not going to be an easy fight.”

Aika bit her lip nervously. They didn’t exactly have the luxury of time… Or even knowing how much they actually had before their friends would be executed. 

“Relax Aika, Valuans loooove paperwork and bragging about their newly captured.” Mabel patted her back.

“My husband always said ‘Acting quickly and rushing are two completely different things.’ Especially in times like these, you must calm down and plan every move carefully.” 

Aika nodded. She was right… Of course she was. Feeling the tension leave her body, she realized how exhausted she actually was. Vyse’s mother smiled at her reassuringly. 

“Dyne won’t let things end like this, not him.”

“Mom is right. Aika… Let’s rest up today. We’ll leave for Valua first thing in the morning!” 

* * *

“I never thought I’d sleep in this bed again…” Aika said, looking up at the ceiling of Vyse’s house, making him raise an eyebrow in confusion.

“Why is that? We always could have sleepovers.” 

Back when they were children Aika and Vyse had slept in the same room. She used the bed while he had a mattress on the floor. Sometimes they flipped a coin to see who’d sleep in the bed, Aika almost always winning, until Vyse found out she’d had a weighted coin all that time. He let out a chuckle at that memory.

“W-what?” 

“Ah nothing, I was just reminiscing…” He sighed. “Look at all these scattered papers, the attack probably made this mess.” He pondered as he picked up the sheets, mostly star charts he’d been studying.

This time Aika was the one laughing.

“Now you’re reaching! Wasn’t it already like that before you left?’’ 

Vyse’s expression grew sheepish.

“Oops… I think you’re right.” He placed the pile carefully on the bedside stand before laying down on the floor, his back turned to Aika. 

“Are you sure about sleeping on the floor? I mean, I can leave your bed to you and see if I can sleep at someone else’s house, you know…” 

“I used to roll off my bed and that never woke me up. I’ll be alright. Besides… I know how you’re feeling and I’m not leaving you alone like this.” 

Aika was the strongest person he knew, but he also knew she tended to put on a strong front so as not to worry him. Sending her away just felt wrong. As if confirming his thoughts, he heard a sniffing sound.

“Thanks… I’ll be fine. I just…” 

“I know. You should get some rest for tomorrow.” 

Silence eventually settled in and soon enough he heard her snore, the familiar sound lulling him to sleep.

* * *

“Hey hey, you shouldn’t be drinking, it’s bad for the baby.” 

“Piss off, Zach.” Mabel punctuated her statement with a swig from her bottle of Mur Loqua. 

The little bald man snickered, resuming his work as he rummaged through his private weapon stash. 

Mabel knew their weapon vendor couldn’t have let the Valuans destroy all their stock. He was more devious and cunning than any of them. 

“Everything has a price. All I needed was to name the right one and those Valuan soldiers suddenly weren’t as thorough with trashing the equipment.”

“...Meaning you’ll want your coin back, I get it. How much do I owe you?” 

Mabel corked the Loqua bottle, needing to go easy on the spirit. They had a big day tomorrow after all. 

“I’ll make a deal. Give me half of what I lost and if you come around to some, er… misplaced equipment in Valua, bring it back to me.”

Mabel smirked. Well, she wasn’t one to say no to an opportunity to steal from Valuans in their own territory.

“Challenge accepted.” She smirked.

Having secured better equipment for tomorrow, she was about ready to turn in. As she opened the door to the crew’s quarters, she heard a scared yelp.

“Please don’t kill me!’’ Matthew the deckhand was hiding behind his sleeves.

‘’If you keep screaming and wake up Ben, you’ll give me a reason to.” Mabel sighed. 

“O-Oh Mabel… Sorry, I thought…” The boy spoke meekly, not daring to look her in the eyes.

She sighed again. Well, she couldn’t go to sleep before that was sorted out.

“You can’t spend the rest of the night beating yourself up over what happened. What good would it do to have you captured too?” Mabel was not exactly tactful or patient, especially when she heard her bed calling her. 

Still… Matthew was a sweet kid and an earnest crewmember. He just had that weird knack of being able to fall asleep anytime and everywhere. She sort of envied it at this moment.

“I know… I couldn’t do anything but…”

“If you feel like there’s something more you should have done, focus on what you should do right now. Namely: sleeping. And tomorrow, focus on what you can do to help these women and children that were left behind. There’s always something you can do. Wallowing in self-pity isn’t one of them.”

“...You’re right… Tomorrow I’ll do better. I swear…” 

Well, that was quick. Matthew crawled on his hammock, yawning, and was fast asleep in mere seconds. Mabel gazed at her bottle, taking one last swig of Loqua for good sleep. 

“Rescuing everyone from Valua… Heh… If we do pull it off, we’re definitely going to make history.” She mused.

Morning arrived in what felt like a flash. She stretched, leaving the still-sleeping Matthew and her bottle. Where she was going she wouldn’t need it. Vyse and Aika were waiting for her topside, preparing their dinghy for the trip to Valua. 

“Morning, kids! Ready to kick some Valuan’s yellow moon?” She called.

“Heya Mabel! We were just about to look for you” Vyse smiled. 

“I finished _my_ preparations… These are for you and Aika.” She handed over the cutlasses and boomerang. These were refurbished stolen Valuan equipment, but if they could trust Zach’s weapons on anything, it was quality. They wouldn’t break in the middle of a fight. She slid on her knuckle-dusters as the two inspected their new weapons.

‘’There they are!’’ She shifted on her heels, catching sight of three small figures rushing towards them for their goodbye. 

“I’ll wait for you in the cabin, I’m not exactly good at this mushy stuff.”

Mostly because she was not one to make promises she couldn’t keep. As she climbed aboard the dinghy she felt a chill running through her body. Strange… And it was so warm the previous day before too. It felt like the cold season was coming back early. 

Soon, Vyse and Aika joined her, Vyse taking his place at the helm. 

“We’re ready to go!” He declared.

“Aye Aye!” She unfolded the sail and they set a course to Valua. 

The more time passed, the poorer visibility became. Mabel couldn’t tell anymore if they had already passed by Shrine Island or not. But one thing she knew is that it was freezing cold, and the fog was only getting thicker.

“Vyse, be careful! We’re getting way too close to that island!” Aika warned.

Mabel raised an eyebrow.

“...Island?” She had more experience as a sailor than the two of them. Having traveled from Mid Ocean to the neutral skies between Valua and Nasr, she didn’t remember an island being in that area.

“Are you sure?” Mabel leaned over the rail. 

Sure enough, there was a gigantic shadow right under them, but… It was not an island.

“Vyse, get us out of here… Now!” 

A useless effort really… The wail of the beast resounded in the sky, their little boat barely avoiding it as it breached the fog.

“An Arcwhale?! What is it doing here?!” Vyse exclaimed in disbelief.

Arcwhales were giant mammals living in cold skies; they were also thought to be extinct. 

“That’d be one amazing discovery if we weren’t so screwed!” Mabel gritted her teeth. 

“What are we supposed to do against that thing?!” Aika yelled over the Arcwhale’s deafening cry. 

“There’s nothing we can do but get away! We don’t even have cannons on this boat!” 

Mabel was not a believer in the Moons… At least not as divine entities. For her, they were nothing more than useful big ol’ chunks of stone hanging far above, but at that specific moment, she thought the Moons might have been angry at them. The Arcwale saw them and its mouth opened, blowing a violent surge of ice-cold wind.

“Hang on to the boat, both of you! Don’t let go!” Vyse’s voice was barely audible in the wind and the ship was breaking up. 

Mabel shut her eyes tightly, expecting to fall into oblivion. 

When she finally dared to open her eyes, she found herself on hard ground and she could only make out a silhouette. Tall… She couldn’t make out the body shape, only dark, long hair. But more than anything else, she noticed blood-red eyes, looking down at her. It felt like the pupils were glowing, and she couldn’t avert her own gaze.

“ _My, that certainly is new. I’ve seen this scene unfold countless times and you… were not here.”_

She couldn’t tell whether the voice was male or female. They didn’t sound particularly hostile, but she didn’t understand whatever they meant by this.

“What are you… talking about, who?...”

“ _Ah! Pardon me. I am merely a spectator here. Who I am is irrelevant. But I will keep watching… See where this new path may lead._ ”

Mabel felt her head spinning, as the world grew dark once again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm starting a roleplay on Discord so my updates might be slower during this month and the next! If you're reading this, thanks for staying around!


	5. Catch & Release

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been so out of it last year! As you all know... 2020. I won't rant about it here, chapter 5 is here and it feels good to be back to writing! Special thanks again to Caseo for proof-reading and correcting! And to my readers: Thank you so much and I hope you enjoy yourselves!

The old sailor woke up before the sunrise that day with a start. He could feel the chill in his aged bones. The warm season had yet to officially begin so cool dawns were not that uncommon in Mid Ocean. The sailor knew better though. The cold air tingling in his nose was the first sign. His senses on high alert for his prey, he hardly paid attention to anyone or anything else. Not to the Valuan fleet in attack formation passing him by, not to those kids asking him about that island later on… It wasn’t any of his business. All he cared about was finding _it._

“Rhaknam…” He growled. 

He looked down at his mechanical arm… Getting old and rusty just like he was...

“If I’m to be taken down this year… I’ll take you with me!” He spoke those words more often as of late, like a prayer before he continued his endless chase. He prepared his sails and cannons as the fog grew thicker outside. That blasted beast was back and he was ready. As soon as he heard the haunting song of the arcwhale, he hurried to the helm, chasing it down. 

“Yer not getting away from me, Rhaknam!”

First, he had to get a visual on the giant arcwhale… Then run back to the cannons on the deck. His ship was thankfully not a big one that required much crew. Still… To anyone else, chasing such a monster while manning a ship on his own could be considered madness.

“Hmph… Maybe they’re right…” 

Still… He couldn’t stop now. It was just him and Rhaknam—No one else. He held himself tightly against the mast of his ship as he was making his way to the cannon as the ship threatened to lose balance. The wind blew hard as the creature wailed with that haunting tone. As if that monster was crying. 

“I’ll give you one damn good reason to cry, RHAKNAM!!!” 

Another tremor shook his ship, slowing his progress again. 

He cursed through gritted teeth as he expected another attack from that cursed arcwhale but it was something much worse. On instinct, his knee buckled as he braced himself for impact. He would not die here, not before taking that monster with him! 

The attack didn't come from Rhaknam, but a ship... or at least what remained of one. Debris hit at his sails, making him wonder if they would tear under the pressure. If his ship would sink under that weight… Eventually, it felt safe enough to get up but Rhaknam used that moment… That opportunity to escape, the fog clearing up along with it.

“No… NO!!!!” He screamed, his voice ragged and full of despair. 

He turned his gaze toward the debris as he started to carry them to toss overboard. Deep breath… He needed to keep the ship as light as possible. He was so close… And yet! He tossed one piece of debris away with more violence than intended and underneath it, he saw… 

“...Jack?” 

* * *

It felt like the whole moon had landed on him when he regained consciousness. His first instinct was to look around him, feeling the instant relief of seeing his childhood friend next to him.

"Aika?..."

"...I'm still alive?" She groaned as she lifted herself from the ground.

She was obviously as disoriented and shaken as he was, but uninjured. That was a miracle in itself.

"Looks like it…" Vyse weakly chuckled.

"It feels like having a hangover all over again," Mabel muttered as well. 

"...How long are you lot gonna complain' 'ere?" 

That voice… Vyse didn't recognize it. 

The first thing he saw was the mechanical arm… It felt as big and imposing as a cannon. The thick fingers on that thing could easily crush anything, he thought. It belonged to an elderly man, ragged, wearing a hard expression as his single eye looked down to him and yet… Something in his eye didn't make Vyse that intimidated by him.

"I was close… So close to getting Rhaknam and ye three lunkheads made him get away!"

Maybe it was the fact that he had just woken up from an ordeal that could have killed him and didn't really regain his senses… Or maybe it was that odd nostalgic feeling, seeing a man that reminded him so much of his late grandfather, but Vyse wasn't bothered by the obvious sour mood.

"Rhaknam... Ohhh now I remember, that huge arcwhale that blew our ship off course! I thought we were finished there. Hey, thanks!" Vyse smiled as he got back to his feet.

...But that didn't last long.

"Thanks?' 'Thanks?!' Don't start with me!"

**SLAM!**

Before he could even register the mechanical arm connecting with his face, Vyse found himself back on the ground, a concerned Aika looking above him.

"Nice to meet ya too?" Mabel sarcastically spat back.

Vyse sat up, rubbing at his throbbing head. That metal arm did pack quite the punch…

"Ow… Not sure why, but I keep getting hurt today…"

"What's wrong with you, you crusty, er rusty old man?!" Aika yelled back as Vyse hoped for his head to stop pounding.

"Hold on a moment...We're on your ship, aren't we? What happened to ours?" Mabel intervened.

"Hmph! I spent the whole morning tossing the debris off my deck. Yer damn lucky you're still standing on a ship at all. The thing almost ripped off my sails… And now I’m stuck with the three of you."

THAT brought Vyse back to reality faster than any metallic punch. 

“What?! Our ship… destroyed?” Aika spoke the words even before Vyse could. 

“Aye… Now, this isn’t a passenger ship. Everyone onboard needs to pull their own weight.” 

“You got to be kidding… What a mess.” Mabel stood up. 

Vyse sighed but didn’t voice a complaint there. Under the circumstances, they were lucky to be alive, and even luckier the man didn’t just decide to make them walk the plank. Grunt work was a small price to pay.

“Hey old man,” Mabel called the captain of the ship.

“If you don’t like it you can jump off, I got to keep the load as light as possible anyway,” He responded with an icy glare.

“Nah, I’m used to working on bigger ships anyway. ...Wasn’t there someone else on board?” 

Vyse blinked, looking around him. The ship was indeed small but it’d probably need a handful of crew members to make it sail smoothly. 

“Need your head checked, lass? I’m the sole sailor onboard, or at least I was. You know your way around a ship? Prove it and grab that mop. You too, red-head.” 

Vyse instinctively headed for a bucket as well. Deck swabbing again…

“Not you, boy. You come with me.” 

Aika mouthed a ‘good luck’ to him as he followed the man to the bridge. 

Looking at his surroundings, the jaws of sea creatures lining the walls as trophies, the harpoons, and that very distinctive fish smell… Yep, this man was a fisherman by trade. Vyse expected to be tasked with some fishing maybe, or cleaning harpoons. He was proven wrong once again when the captain made him carry supply boxes. Every time Vyse lifted one, it felt like his back would snap under the weight. One step at a time, no box dropping on anyone’s feet… Just what in the Moons was inside it?! 

“Phew… was there any more of them?”

“Hmph… Looks like you got a little more than lubber on your bones. What’s your name, boy?”

Vyse heaved a sigh, thankful for that short break.

“My name is Vyse, I’m a blue rogue. I used to do this kind of grunt work on the Albatross all the time.”

“An air pirate? And what did the three of you do out here sailin’ alone?”

Vyse bit his lower lip, looking outside at the two girls on the deck below. 

“We have our reasons… Sir, we need to go to Valua. I beg of you, please, take us there!” He looked back to the captain.

They didn’t have the luxury to wait and this man could very well be either their way into Valua or their next obstacle, and Vyse hoped he would be the former. 

“Valua, huh? Explain.”

Well… He couldn’t avoid explaining their whole situation after all. Not surprising. Knowing Valua’s reputation among air pirates and sailors, people didn’t casually waltz into that country for no reason. 

“...And that’s why we need to get there, to rescue our friends.” Vyse finished, hoping to have earned at least some sympathy from the old captain.

‘’Trying to pick a fight with the Armada? You got to be out of your mind, boy. I have no time to babysit you or your friends. Try your luck with a different ship.”

“I see… It would really help if you helped us get there but we can’t force you to. ...By the way, why are you chasing Rhaknam anyway?”

“...There’s no need to tell you. And there’s still one supply box left to bring! Get down into the hull and get movin’!” 

“Great… I spill my guts, he keeps quiet and then makes me do more work! What’s with this guy?”

Despite the remark, Vyse brought back the box as the captain ordered to, although it felt heavier than the last one. He took the time to give one thorough look in the hull, making sure he didn’t forget to bring anything. It seemed safe to say he was done, at least with that task.

Vyse had to make sure his ears didn’t play tricks on him when the captain told him his next chore.

“Take the helm, boy.”

“What?! You’ll let me?” 

That seemed almost too good to be true, but thankfully the captain didn’t go back on his word but did give him a fair warning that if he wasn’t any good with it, he’d be on box duty for the whole trip.

The ship wasn’t anything like the Albatross. Small, and very old but the wheel was incredibly responsive, the ship felt light and seemed like it could make very tight turns. Vyse already loved it. 

“Tell me, what’s the name of this ship, and yours, while you’re at it?”

“The ship’s called The Little Jack. And I’m Drachma. Now get us to Sailor’s Island before sundown!”

‘’Aye Aye Captain Drachm---woaaah…”

His vision seemed to shift for a moment and it felt like he had to grab onto the ship once again for dear life.

“What is it now? ...Hey! Don’t make us hit that rock!” 

As Drachma leaned to take the helm back, Vyse straightened his back and got the ship back on course.

“I’m fine! I can handle this, Pirate Island… Er, I mean Sailor’s Island, right?” He tried to catch himself. No way he was getting back to box duty. Not when a ship like this could sail like a charm and… Where were his thoughts going?

“Whoa, for a second I thought that was the old man at the helm. ...You’re okay there, Vyse?” Mabel joined them on the bridge, stretching, but her voice did feel concerned.

“It’s fine, I can…”

“Hush, kid. You got blown away by an archwale then got punched in the face by that guy. Wouldn’t be surprised if you got a light concussion there.” Mabel side-glared at Drachma at that moment. 

The old captain grunted.

"Kids these days are soft. Hmph."

* * *

Aika was the first one to spot that small boat's red and white flag, a man waving at them. He didn't exactly look the part at first glance, with his shamelessly open coat, his exposed chest giving quite the bohemian look, and those tacky sandals he was wearing on his feet, but the man claimed he was a doctor.

"You can just call me Doc," He introduced himself.

Aika just prayed he wasn't just a quack, being a bit on her guard when he mentioned being a free doctor.

"Riiight, 'Doc'... Er, can you take a look at my friend here? He hit his head pretty badly," She said as she glanced back to the Little Jack.

Inwardly she thanked Mabel for staying there with the captain. She definitely didn't want to risk being stranded first thing by the rude old man. She watched as the man made Vyse sit down and examined him, asking how many fingers he saw, looking into his eyes --- Until Aika felt a pair of eyes on her. 

For a moment she felt like she was being pulled into the dark blue of the evening sky, before seeing who those eyes belonged to. Aika caught herself before emitting a yelp. The girl looked so still, that she didn’t notice her breathing at first. It was like looking at a child-sized doll. Her perfect blonde hair was tied into two prominent pigtails. It reminded Aika of those expensive Valuan porcelain dolls. And then she noticed what the girl held in her hands. 

A baby bird, still wearing an eggshell on its head as if it was newly hatched, was chirping in her arms. 

“Aww, how adorable! You got a cute friend there, what’s your name?” 

Her words, though as friendly and sunny as usual, were met with stone-cold silence. The girl was looking at her, or was she? Aika tried to look for traces of emotions in her eyes, but saw nothing, and it gave her goosebumps. 

“Her name is Maria.” She heard Doc’s curt voice.

“Ah, well, nice to meet you, Maria!” Aika tried to smile at her again but nope, still nothing.

“She’s a bit shy, but she’s a good kid. ...Yeah, that’s a light concussion. What happened there?”

“Mean old geezer with a huge mechanical arm in there.” Aika thumbed at the Little Jack. 

She didn’t exactly forgive him yet, though she knew a way for him to earn it. Doc paused for a moment as if to think. 

“I see… Well, it’s nothing a curia crystal can’t fix! I think I happen to have a few left…” 

Aika blinked and looked back at the doctor. Curia crystal? They _were_ under the silver moon but everyone knew how hard to come by silver moonstones were. Just getting a raw moonstone in Shrine Island was an intense adventure but so worth it in the value a piece of moonstone like this had. It could be refined to make so many curia crystals and more--- But now was not the time to think on it! How were they going to pay that man back?!

“Wait, we can’t accep---”

Her protests came too late. The man used the crystal and focus seemed to return to Vyse’s eyes as he looked around.

“See, that wasn’t so bad Aika?” 

“Says you! You were so out of it, I doubt you remember how you got here!”

“Er…” Vyse looked back sheepishly to Doc, his cheeks flushing when his gaze met the man’s chest. 

He cleared his throat and raised his eyes as he got up.

“Thanks… Doc, was it? How much do we owe you?” He asked.

“This one is on the house.” Doc smiled reassuringly.

Vyse seemed both relieved and surprised while Aika narrowed her eyes, still waiting for the catch. Trying his luck, the blue rogue spoke again.

“Do you happen to treat patients in Valua? We need to go there and are looking for a ride.” 

True, if they could ditch the grumpy captain, Aika thought, it would be better. However, she saw the colors drain from the doctor’s face.

“...I can’t. I’m sorry. I… can’t bring this ship very far. I have limited moonstones for fuel…”

...Well, that sure sounded like a phony excuse there, but neither Vyse nor Aika mentioned it. The look in Doc’s eyes told them it wasn’t a story for them to hear.

Sighing, the doctor spoke again.

“...I feel bad to ask you for a favor when I just turned yours down, but there is something you could do for me…”

_Here it comes_ , Aika thought, her mind on alert. Doc looked at the young girl still staring at them with those blank eyes of hers. 

“As you can see, Maria has a little friend here. It wound up here by accident one day and has stayed with us since. She’s grown very attached to the critter,” Doc explained.

“Right… And what does this favor have to do with this?” Vyse raised an eyebrow.

He was never the type to turn down someone in need, but they were still in a hurry after all.

“Straight to the point, I like that! You see, I tried to feed this bird. Bread, seeds, fish… It refused to eat anything. Until well… I won’t go into much detail about the how right now, but it seems it can only eat moonfishes. A fish… invisible to the naked eye.” 

Both Vyse and Aika blinked. They had never heard about something like that before, but Doc had their attention.

Giving a small piece of glass, a lense, to Vyse, Doc looked at the young girl. Aika followed his gaze and noticed that the mention of Moonfish seemed to break her out of her trance, at least, she was no longer looking blankly ahead but her small neck craned toward the sky. Doc tentatively pointed where Maria seemed to be looking.

Vyse put on the lense over his glass eyepatch and searched the skies, his eyes widening when he found what he was looking for. Aika wanted to give him a nudge and look for herself but she resisted. 

“Okay, so I see them, but how in the six moons are we supposed to catch those things?” 

Doc showed him what looked like some kind of pistol, though the barrel reminded Aika more of a blunderbuss. The gun seemed to detect the target, beeping, its sound becoming louder until Vyse seemed satisfied and pulled the trigger. A thin cable equipped with a grappling hook zoomed out of the trumpet-like barrel and engulfed what looked like empty air. It only took a second. ZAP! Like how a frog might catch a fly, and she saw the moonfish, becoming visible on impact. 

She didn’t get to admire the odd creature for long, thinking it looked more like what her stories as a child described as fairies before the bird hungrily swallowed it. 

“Moons, and it was bigger than its body too!” Aika gasped.

Well, that answered _most_ of their questions.

“We don’t see them around very often here. We got lucky… Maria… The bird seems to be important to her and I want it to live. But I can’t travel around as I please on this ship, and I can’t abandon Maria here… So if you end up seeing any of them--” 

“Hey! How long are you gonna stay there?!” Roared a voice from the Little Jack. 

Vyse and Aika flinched. It felt like the old Captain’s impatience was way more urgent than what was going on in Valua.

Vyse took off his eyepatch, lending it to Doc, who nodded and placed the lense over the one already in it. It was much thinner and luckily, it was a perfect fit. 

“If we find anything, we’ll come back to you and Maria. Thank you again for the help, Doc!” Vyse said, putting back his glass eyepatch. 

They exchanged brief goodbyes, Vyse and Aika hurrying back to the Little Jack. Aika gave one last glance toward Maria. Still as a doll, but her eyes fixated on them.

* * *

The rest of the trip toward Sailor Island was, thankfully, smooth sailing after that trip to the doctor. The captain grumbled through his beard but otherwise, he let Vyse take over the wheel, to the relief of the latter. Mabel smiled looking at him, back on his feet and sailing proudly, eyes sparkling as they did back on the Albatross. The boy really did love sailing. 

Eventually, they reached their destination as the lighthouse came in sight from the island. From their position, they could already see the port buzzing with activities. The common rule of Sailor Island was that it was a neutral ground in Mid-Ocean. Nasrean merchants, fishermen from Mid-Oceans—Some of them air pirates, Mabel thought—and Valuan soldiers provisioning or just resting their legs were all familiar sights here.

Of course the Empress’s domain did reach them somewhat, as shown by the Wanted List billboard. Vyse ran to it, his eyes scanning the list from the bottom to the top: Centime the Tinker, Bellerose the Collector, Calamity Clara, Gilder the Unfettered, Angel of Death… Mostly unfamiliar names but on top of the list was inscribed Dyne of the Blue Storm. 

“The following criminals are in direct violation of the anti-piracy laws set forth by her Royal Highness, _Empress Teodora_ ,” Mabel read aloud, her voice turning sarcastic at the royal title.

Vyse let out a laugh.

“Basically, having our names here means we’re doing a good job!” 

“Got it kiddo!” She laughed with him, pausing to glance at Drachma, heading toward the tavern. “Going to drown your sorrow, old man?” 

He stiffened. “I’m stopping here to restock on supplies. Meanwhile, you can find yourself another ship. This here is where we part ways.” His voice sounded especially cold, taking Mabel slightly by surprise. 

“He’s really gonna leave us here? How are we going to get to Valua?!” Aika panicked.

“Don’t worry your pretty red head. The captain is right on one thing, this place is ripe with information. I’ll search the tavern, you kids can go around and ask, or just keep your ears and eyes open.” Mabel winked.

“Are you gonna drink too?!” Aika retorted. 

Well… She had a point. Mabel grinned and shrugged nonchalantly. If she was honest with herself, she did need that fix, but experience told her she’d do well to listen. Food and drink only make half of a good tavern. The rest is all about the patrons and what is said around the tables.

“Hey, Loqua helps loosen the tongues! And who knows, I might spot someone who can help in there.” 

...Like that beautiful blonde lady leaning against the bar inside. Mabel spotted her when Drachma opened the door. 

Smiling to herself, she ventured into the tavern like a woman on a mission. 

* * *

“Alright, guess it’s finally time to see Sailor’s Island for ourselves, isn’t it?” Vyse smiled reassuringly at Aika. 

They didn’t survive that encounter with that arcwhale and make it to this place just to give up now, did they? He saw his friend relax a bit and smile back. Now that was the Aika he knew! 

He glanced one last time at the Wanted list, smirking confidently. One day his name would be at the top. After that thought, he started walking. To his left was where both Drachma and Mabel headed, _Polly’s tavern_ according to the sign on top of the door. To the right, there was another building, the Sailor’s Guild. Merchants gathered around exchanging the latest gossip and whispering. 

Vyse’s blood boiled when he heard one of them. 

“Have you heard? Dyne of the blue storm and his crew have been captured!” A Nasrean merchant spoke, trying to be hushed but failing at it.

“Poor sop, guess another pirate will say goodbye to his head. Too bad I won’t be back in Valua to see it,” replied the other merchant, shrugging carelessly.

Vyse felt Aika’s hand on his shoulder and he exhaled the breath he didn’t know he was holding. 

“We’re not letting that happen, I know, Aika. ...Thanks.” He smiled at her.

Maybe just to take the time to cool off and avoid the two merchants talking about the latest executions and captures, they wandered away from the Sailor’s Guild. Sailor Island was, in a way not different from Pirate Isle in the aspect that it was a place made up of a group of small islands of varying sizes, connected by bridges.

Next to the wanted board was the first wooden bridge, leading to a small water fountain and various shops: A pharmacy, ship parts shop, and an armory. And further ahead a bigger building, seemingly an inn. More subtle, another bridge behind it connected to another island with few small houses, each with different colorful roofs but all the same in architecture style, most likely the residential district for the rare people choosing to settle here for good. And even farther was the last islet where dominated the first thing any traveler noticed as their ship became closer to destination, the lighthouse welcoming them.

They interrogated a few people on their way: A woman drawing water from the fountain, the lady selling medicine, a strange sailor rolling on the ground… That one didn’t make much sense, this one being way too happy to find solid ground. In their half an hour excursion they only found… Two moonfishes, but not much more.

“At least Maria’s friend will be happy.” Vyse chuckled weakly. 

“Looking for something?” 

He paused, blinking, and looking around him as Aika did the same. 

“Lower!” 

His eyes followed the voice belonging to a very short kid, barely reaching Vyse’s waist in size. He didn’t look any older than Alan or Lindsi, Vyse thought. He had a funny little hat with a spinning propeller on it. He held himself straight, his little hands sitting on the sides of his hips, a bit shadowed by the lad’s generous belly.

“Oh, hello! Sorry didn’t notice you there, er… Can we help you?” Aika asked as she would any lost child.

“Haha, seems you two are the ones in the need of a hand there! The name’s Pinta, I’m an item collector! If you got any questions about Sailor’s Island, I could give you a hand!” The boy laughed good-naturedly.

He didn’t look like any helpless child actually. For some reason, he sounded like Vyse was listening to an elderly man offering his wisdom to lost travelers.

“An item collector?” Vyse’s eyes lit up, finding in the boy Pinta a kindred spirit. 

“Yes! My dream is to collect all of the rare items in the world! Every last one of them!” The little boy beamed proudly, his back straightening with pride.

“Wow, that’s some big dream for such a little fellow! My name’s Vyse and my dream is to sail all around the world!” 

“And I’m Aika! I’m dreaming of taking the world’s treasures wherever we go!” His friend added with a grin.

A little talk about the future did wonder for their weary feet and mind, they took that cue to sit around the town’s water spring. 

“I see… I feel we’ll get along just fine! You’re both dreamers like myself!” 

“Yep! We've both got big dreams. And now, we just gotta concentrate on making our dreams come true, right?” Vyse replied. 

Pinta nodded with energy, his little propeller spinning faster.

“So what brings you both here? You looked a bit under the weather.” the boy spoke again.

“Yeah… We’re actually looking for a ship to go to Valua, you don’t happen to know anyone?” Aika asked, sighing.

It felt like they had asked that same question over a thousand times already. 

“Oh, finding a ship is the easy part! The real problem is getting a Valuan passport. I’m not an expert on paperwork, so you’d best head to the Sailor’s Guild for that. But if you got the passport, you can travel to Valua. They should have boat rentals at the dock.” 

Aika’s expression grew impish, likely thinking they could just steal one. Vyse shook his head at her. As tempting as it was, blue rogues never stole from civilians. 

“It’d be easier to ask Capt’n Drachma to help us, I feel… We’re a bit under-funded right now” She sighed.

Pinta’s eyes widened. 

“One-Armed Drachma you say? Aaaah… If it’s not about his wild chase for that arcwhale, it won’t be easy to convince him. Unless... “ Pinta scratched his round chin thoughtfully.

“Unless?...” Vyse echoed, encouraging the boy to go on.

“I heard it from the ship parts guy earlier. Word is, someone in Valua developed a new weapon: A harpoon cannon! You mount it to the front of the ship and it’s said to have the power to destroy small islands! And since you can reel it back, it’s reusable! Very effective against large creatures! Now that’s something that would interest the man, wouldn’t you think?” He grinned.

Aika beamed.

“That’s perfect! You’re one resourceful boy, aren’t you?” 

“Ah, don’t mention it! Something tells me whatever it is, it’s important.”

With that, Pinta got up and dusted his cargo pants. 

“Now, you two take care, and don’t be a stranger when you come back here!” 

Waving him goodbye, Vyse and Aika looked at each other. They had the perfect bait.


	6. Denial, Anger, Bargaining

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm once again giving special thanks to my friend Soltis here, for her comments and her huge help with grammar and prose. And for sticking with me through everything! Also huge thanks to Caseo for proof-reading and correcting my many grammar mistakes as well and for her patience. Special mention, Caseo is the one coming up with these chapter titles and honestly, bless you for this. I wouldn't know what to do without you either!
> 
> And to anyone reading this, I hope you're enjoying yourselves with this chapter! I'm doing my best to improve! ^^

The threadbare tavern had seen its fair share of customers over the years. It was popular among sailors, merchants, and even Valuan soldiers. If there was one place that represented Sailors’ Island neutrality politics, it was this one. When people came in, a delicious aroma filling the room and the cook’s inviting smile, they seemed to forget who they were, leaving their job outside of the restaurant to enjoy a pleasant meal and atmosphere.

Today was no different. Polly busied herself serving drinks while keeping a close watch over the pots and pans where today’s menu was being prepared: Garlic-and-herb steamed Maroccas, Mid-Ocean style meat pies, and Polly’s special stew of the day. A combination of dishes that made anyone’s mouth water without being too overwhelming.

A few sailors talked amongst themselves at one of the wooden tables, while Polly’s daughter Anne cleaned a recently deserted one. 

Drachma came in, hunched and weary like a defeated man, as always when he visited that bar. He wasn’t one to exchange pleasantries. He only came here to regain his strength before once again setting off, the chase continuing until one claimed the life of the other. 

He glared at Mabel, as she followed him inside the bar, expecting her to pester him, but she thoroughly ignored him, having her sights on a female sailor nearby. He didn’t complain, thankful to have his peace and quiet at this place. 

Polly greeted him, a smile on her plump, red lips and hands on her wide hips. 

“If it isn’t Drachma! Same as usual?” She gave him a wide smile, her eyes gentle, as she grabbed a clean tankard, humming to herself. 

He nodded with a gruff as he took a seat at the counter, ignoring the occasional stares from patrons when they saw his artificial arm, as old and rusty as he was.

Polly was the owner of the tavern and even long after her husband’s disappearance, she kept the business going with a smile. Warm, hard-working, and honest, Polly was loved by all of her patrons and was one of those few people Drachma could trust in these skies. 

He had known her since… Since Moons knew how many years. He remembered her husband Robinson — a dreamer, that man. He was a sailor through and through and had had that spark in his eyes that belonged to a man hungry for adventure. Drachma idly

wondered if today that same light shone in Robinson’s eyes wherever he was, or if those eyes were still open at all.

He never voiced those thoughts aloud to Polly, however. He could relate to her, having lost so much, but their similarities stopped there. She wasn’t like him. She stood strong and proud, her smile belying the pain within. She carried her burden with dignity as she moved forward, while Drachma’s past weighed him down like an anchor.

She placed a plate full of steamed Maroccas and a tankard of Mur Loqua in front of him, then went back to watch her pot of stew. Polly knew how to read people. She stayed for those needing a conversation, left when people needed to be alone. Another thing Drachma mentally thanked her for as he reached for his drink. His old back arched over the counter as he drank and ate in silence. 

He’d ignored a lot of things in his life. The odd looks whenever someone saw his arm, or missing eye, people chatting carelessly when he was in ear-shot like he wasn’t there… He ate his meal, not taking the time to savor it. 

_ Clank. Clank. Clank. _

His fork stabbed through the thick cooked Gastropoda, occasionally colliding with the plate as he grew impatient. The clank of utensils was more like the tick of a clock… Growing dangerously close to sounding an alarm.

“You’d have better luck asking a Valuan soldier, sweetie. Old Drachma here isn’t giving you a lift. He’s got one thing his eye’s set on and it’s getting re---”

**_CLANK_ ** **.**

“Ye’re better keep your mouth shut or I’ll shut it for ye!”

That time it wasn’t just the fork. Drachma’s good hand hit the counter, the plate jumping with it as he turned around and glared. The sailor gulped as he turned his back, pretending to be very interested in his loqua bottle. 

“I trust no one is gonna start a fight here?”

Polly’s voice came, missing its previous warmth. She still bore that smile, the smile of a mother whose patience was being tested. Her motto was, and always had been, that her tavern was the customer’s tavern. However, she didn’t care if you were a black pirate or the Valuan Empress herself,  _ no one _ caused trouble in this place.

“...I was about to be done, anyway,” Drachma gruffed, his heavy shoulders sagging. 

He turned toward his tankard, gulping the last of his content.

“Captain Drachma!” 

Moons, these kids would never leave him alone. He grunted with irritation, his teeth clenched tightly together.

“Will you stop callin' me that? You don't sail with me anymore, therefore, I’m no longer your ‘Captain’.'’ He didn’t even bother to look at them, expecting to see two kids looking at him like abandoned huskras. 

The girl's voice was far from defeated.

"Oh really?” Aika feigned disappointment, however, the corner of her lips curving into a smile belied her true intentions. She was definitely cooking up something.

“ ...Aw, that's too bad. We heard of a cannon strong enough to defeat Rhaknam but since you’re no longer sailing with us… I guess it doesn't really matter…"

With a loud bam, the bottom of the tankard, thankfully empty, hit the counter. The tavern grew quiet again as eyes glanced at him. He felt Polly’s cautious stare, but she wouldn’t intervene as long as Drachma wouldn’t cross a line. 

He turned rapidly toward the red-haired girl as if struck by lightning.

“What did you say?!”

He regretted those words. He was being baited, he knew it, and damn these kids, it worked. 

And that boy knew it, too.

Vyse turned toward Aika, as if only talking to her. To Drachma, they looked more like two fools doing some kind of rehearsed comedy act. They were testing him deliberately. “You know, I was amazed when I saw Rhaknam… I’ve never seen an arcwhale that big before. I  _ used _ to think that he was indestructible…”

Vyse was smiling and his words were purposely slow. Drachma gritted his teeth as he felt his patience running out. 

“...Until I learned there was a cannon that could destroy him, but it’s true you’re not sailing with us anymore,” Vyse shrugged nonchalantly.

At this point, Drachma’s good hand gripped the wooden counter so hard his knuckles turned white. That detail didn’t escape the redhead’s eyes, the victory in her expression barely contained.

“What a shame, right, Aika? Hey Mabel? Know anyone willing to take us to Valua?” 

“No luck here, Moons... I’d do  _ anything _ to get a ride…,” The air pirate played along and this time Drachma had enough.

“Are you trying to bargain with me, brats?!” 

He slammed his fist on the counter again, ignoring Polly taking the tankard away before he broke it.

Vyse put his hands on his hips, staring defiantly at him with that confident smile that grated on his nerves.

“Well, since you put it so eloquently… If we are going to give you information that will help you, we expect you to help us.” 

This time, Polly intervened. 

“Now that I think about it, I did hear of something like that. Some Valuan soldiers passing through the other day were talking about it. They said it had the power to destroy a small island,” she said thoughtfully, her hand resting on her cheek.

Drachma sat silently for a moment, staring at the bar owner.

“...Polly, I hope you aren’t takin’ their side and lyin’ to me…, ” He didn’t believe what he said but his cautious side took the best of him. 

Deep down, he knew those kids were winning. Polly feigned being hurt, her eyes widening before smiling again and leaning toward him.

“Now… When have I EVER lied to you, Drachma, huh?” 

She turned her gaze toward the two blue rogues.

“And besides… I’ve been running this tavern for twenty years. I know people. I can spot cheats and liars, and I can tell these children are neither. I’d put my hand in the fire on it.” 

Drachma pinched the bridge of his nose, rubbing at his eyes, feeling already tired of this back and forth.

“...Fine.” He finally admitted defeat.

“Wait, you mean…,” Aika gasped, her hands over her mouth as if she didn’t believe what she heard.

“...I won’t get my hopes up, but I’ll take you to Valua anyway but you three will be working the ENTIRE way,” he grunted, swallowing his pride.

“Now! That wasn’t so hard, was it?’’ Mabel grinned.

He leaned against the counter, promising himself that this lass would be on cannonball duty. He ignored those kids bumping their fists or whatever kids these days did. 

“Cap’n, you’re the best! And thank you too, Polly! Thank you for believing us!”

“Don’t sweat it. Just make sure you come back here in one piece and tell us all about your adventures. This crusty old bunch is dying for some fresh tales. You better be careful out there though, the Valuans are known to shoot first and ask questions later,” Polly warned them.

Drachma turned back toward them, a realization flashing in his mind. 

“She’s right. We’re also going to need a passport to get in. Unfortunately, I don’t have one… But someone here must know how to get it.” 

With that, the old captain was entangled in those kids’ fool errands. He got up from his seat with a grunt. If anyone told him his hunt for Rhaknam would turn into him risking a fight with the Valuan Armada, he would have never believed it.

* * *

Aika's satisfaction over getting Drachma onboard with their plan was very short-lived. She found out Pinta really didn't lie when he said getting the ship was the easy part.

She felt her shoulders sag when she watched the Guildmaster thumbing through documents with slow gestures. 

"Let's see… First, I'm going to need your full names for the four of you. Unless you want a merchant-type passport. It covers the captain of the merchandise vessel and the crew, but then again we'll need to have the ship and goods examined, and have a background check run for each of you," he enumerated, glancing at each of them.

"Wait, that sounds even more complicated!" Aika protested loudly as she approached the counter.

The man stepped back, raising his hands.

"That's the procedure for Valua for you, miss. I don't make the rules!" he replied defensively.

Aika sighed, taking a step back. She knew full well there was no point getting angry at the Guildmaster. She took a deep breath while Vyse took over.

"And how long is this gonna take?" Vyse asked, his arms crossed. 

He, too, was growing restless. Aika could see it with the way he was tapping his foot.

"The initial background check can take up to a full lunar cycle-", the man started.

"Huh!? We don't have the time for that!” Aika lost her patience this time. 

“You're the Guildmaster! Can't you make us one?!"Aika’s voice was rising, her hands balling into fists without her conscious decision. She was too focused on the fate of Captain Dyne and their friends. They could already be dead long before they finished waiting for those procedures!

The color drained from the Guildmaster’s face as he violently shook his head.

"No! No! No! That's out of the question! If anyone is caught with a fake passport and they trace it back to me, they'll have my head for it! I wouldn't do it for all the gold in the world!" he exclaimed as Vyse tried to show the coin purse -- the one he had earned a few minutes prior when he sold the information regarding the Pirate's Grave discovery.

He sighed, pulling the purse back. No use having all that gold if you didn't live to enjoy it.

"You call yourself a Guildmaster, but you're just a Valuan pawn, aren't you!?", Aika glared at the man who visibly tried to make himself as small as possible.

She felt Mabel's hand on her shoulder.

"Don't waste your energy on him, we'll find another way…" 

Mabel tried to be reassuring but even she seemed to realize how limited their options were. She could see it with the way Mabel was biting her lower lip, her eyes fleeing away from Aika after a moment.

“Relax, I’m just thinking." She waved her hand dismissively at Aika.

The most Air Pirate thing to do would be of course, to steal one genuine passport. Stealing from civilians and merchants was out of the question, but they could shake down a Valuan soldier on the docks. Mabel seemed ready to suggest that idea, waving at them to follow her outside of the Sailor's Guild when someone spoke up.

"Excuse me…" A meek voice belonging to an old man came from behind them.

A short merchant, Nasrean, from the looks of his clothes, looked up to them hesitantly.

"I couldn't help but overhear…"

Well, technically, they weren't too subtle about their Valuan passport plight. Aika smiled, a bit embarrassed by her outburst.

"I come from the land under the red Moon, the Nasr capital. I was doing business in Valua until very recently. Now that I'm going home, I don't need it anymore."

Aika felt like one of the Moons did grant them a favor right then, her eyes sparkling with interest.

"All I would ask is for my ship to be escorted back to the South Dannel Strait. The skies between Mid Ocean and Nasr have been rumored to be dangerous lately due to that Black Pirate, Baltor the Blackbeard."

Drachma grunted.

"Baltor, huh? A small-time Black pirate, but he's ruthless. I did hear of him terrorizing Nasr merchants recently."

"We were about to post a wanted poster, that man's got a bounty on him. If you managed to make sure he's not causing troubles anymore, the Guild could pay you as well for that," the Guildmaster piped in.

"My safety for the Valuan passport should be an even trade, yes?"

Vyse didn't need to hesitate, the opportunity was too good to pass on.

"Of course, we accept your offer! That's a deal!" He replied with all the confidence in the world.

"Thank you, young man, you are wise beyond your years." The merchant bowed politely.

Drachma seemed less enchanted over it, grumbling slightly.

"If we want to get to Valua, I guess we don't have any other choices…"

Mabel intervened, smiling at Drachma with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"I couldn't help but notice, your hull is fortified under that shab--- er, antique appearance. And you've been keeping those cannons in great shape, old man. If you can take on an arcwhale, you could hold your own against a pirate, couldn't you?" Mabel crossed her arms.

Aika hadn’t gotten to make a full tour of the Little Jack yet, but that ship was stronger than it let on, she could believe it with the way it sailed. 

Mabel seemed to strike a nerve and Drachma snapped back, side-glaring at her with his good eye.

"Of course it can! The Little Jack won't go down that easy! Come on, we're goin'!"

Aika and Mabel exchanged a grin. With Drachma’s fighting spirit fuelled, they felt ready for whatever would stand between them and that Valuan passport.

* * *

The Little Jack set sail with Vyse at the helm, the Nasr merchant vessel following closely astern. With his head clear once again, the young blue rogue could feel the sailboat wasn’t ordinary. Drachma seemed prepared for everything and it showed in every way. A quick trip to the engine room and Aika could confirm the engine had the power for ships twice, if not thrice the size of Drachma’s vessel. The Little Jack was a fast ship and Vyse was planning to find out exactly how fast during his short time as helmsman.

The plan was fairly simple: if they encountered the Blackbeard, Aika would use a pyri spell from the bridge, firing at the sky above as a signal for the civilian to pull back, giving them the room to fend off their enemies. The second part of the plan was to keep their distance from the Black Pirate. If a full crew boarded them, they would never be able to defend themselves with just the four of them. 

The way to Nasrad was pretty straight-forward. A stone reef arced eastward from the tunnel rock between Sailor’s Island and blue rogue territory and continued until South Dannel Strait, a valley-like area between two islands. The desert land of the Kingdom of Nasr was naturally protected by that stone reef; no normal ships could break through without dealing heavy damage to their hulls. 

To reach the capital city, they needed to sail along the reef until they saw the Strait. No risk of getting lost there, but that also meant whoever met face to face with the Black pirate's ship ended up completely trapped between their assailant and the reef.

Vyse would need to hurry and get away from the rocks before he fell into the same trap. His heart was pounding with excitement. 

Blue Rogues and Black Pirates had a long history of rivalry after all. However, most of them steered clear of Captain Dyne's territory, at least for as long as Vyse could remember. Despite his experience with Valuan vessels, he didn't often find himself toe-to-toe with an enemy pirate.

The black sails on the horizon confirmed that this was about to change.

* * *

"Nasr merchant vessel dead ahead, Captain! A sailboat is escorting it!"

At the signal of the lookout, Baltor the Blackbearded pulled out the telescope.

Baltor was becoming infamous throughout the Nasrean skies. What started as an act of simple revenge against a crook swindling him escalated into much more. Like a dog tasting blood, Baltor discovered his taste for violence. After getting his gold back, seeing that con artist giving him much more as he begged for his life was an excitement like no other.

That was how Baltor cast aside his ordinary life and became known as the terror of the skies… At least, that was what he was aiming for. Soon,  _ everyone  _ would know his name!

His chest swelling with his pride and heart pounding with the adrenaline of promised riches, he mocked the sailboat approaching.

"Gwahaha! Nothing to fear from a ship THAT old," he laughed loudly.

He put away the telescope on his belt, turning toward his crew to a flip of his green coat resting on his shoulders.

"Alright, men, to your battle stations! We're showing them what happens if they cross the Blackbeard!"

"AYE AYE!" The crew answered in unison, grinning with decaying teeth. 

Vyse gave a thumbs-up to Aika from the bridge after she cast the Pyri spell. 

"Hmph, at least she didn't set fire to my sails,” commented Drachma.

Vyse smiled slightly at the old captain.

"You gotta give her some credit here, captain. I trust her more with this than anyone else."

He wisely kept quiet about him doubting he'd pull that feat off without collateral damage. Focusing back on the battle at hand, Vyse zoomed in with his glass eyepatch. 

"Eight cannons here… Same number on the port side. Six cannons against sixteen… I think Mabel and Aika will need you out there, Captain"

"Aye, you make sure you keep us afloat… And don't let them get close! ", Drachma warned as he made his way to the deck.

"Alright, let's go, Little Jack!"

Vyse gripped the helm, watching closely for the Blackbeard’s actions. With what little he knew of the pirate, he guessed that Baltor would attack first and aim to sink them. If the Little Jack showed enough resistance, he would attempt boarding them and see for himself what was worth fighting for and grab anything not nailed down. 

Baltor cared for bloodlust first and loot second.

Vyse narrowly avoided the first salvo of shots, the bridge shaking from the vibrations in the air. He could imagine it being much worse outside on the deck. A cannonball passed too close for comfort near the mast. 

"Get us down, Vyse, I'll send them a taste of our own cannons, and I know exactly where to aim!" 

He heard Mabel's voice through the talking tubes. She had been a raider onboard the Albatross for more than ten years and her voice didn’t waver at all in the firefight.

With her directive, she, Drachma and Aika fired together. 

Each shot collided with its target in a deafening sound, only slightly muffled by the bridge’s walls. 

"Three cannons out of commission! What do you think of THAT?!", Aika cheered, pumping her fist.

"Don't get cocky, now girl! They still got thirteen cannons and that won't work twice!" 

Drachma cut the celebration short, but he was right. The Black pirate wasn't going to back down with just three destroyed cannons. And they were much outnumbered, by the time it took for Aika and Mabel to bring the cannonballs, the Blackbeard was already fully loaded and shooting again. 

Vyse spun the helm, making the Little Jack turn, bow toward the Blackbeard. They risked damage on the front of the ship, but hopefully, he would avoid giving them a larger target to hit. 

Three shots dodged… Two a clear hit and this time Vyse had to grip the helm tightly to not lose his balance. 

“The bow has been hit! We’ve lost some wood panels and… What the?!” He heard Mabel reporting through the talking tube.

Vyse straightened his back, his senses back on high alert.

“W-What? What’s wrong? Mabel?” He called.

“That’s some armada rate metal frame you hid under there, isn’t it, old man?! Where did you get that?”

“Ask me when we’re not busy dodgin’ bullets, woman!”, Drachma yelled back.

The blue rogue heaved a sigh of relief at hearing the banter. So that did confirm one thing, the Little Jack was not an ordinary ship. Maybe that was something Baltor realized as well, as he changed tactics. Vyse could see the enemy ship trying to circle around them.

"He's tryin’ to get behind us, boy!" Drachma warned.

Vyse could hear his father’s first sailing lessons. No matter what, never let an enemy vessel get to the stern side. Pirate sailboats and Valuan frigates had one thing in common: The engine room was located astern. Knowing that, along with the lack of cannons, it was a common ship weakness.

Vyse didn't let that discourage him, smirking to himself as an idea flashed in his mind.

"That's perfect!"

"Are ye out of your mind, boy?!"

"Captain, Mabel, Aika, brace yourselves, the Little Jack is making a turn!"

"You got a plan?", Aika was already holding on to the ship's rail.

"He's already trying to get behind us, he won't expect us to turn the opposite way and get behind him instead!"

His words were met with silence, though it lasted only a few seconds.

"...We're getting those cannons ready," Drachma said.

* * *

“That damned rotten piece of wood should have been knocked out of the sky already! Why is it still afloat?!” Baltor roared, folding back his telescope so fast, he risked cracking it.

“That ship is fast! And it’s tougher than we originally thought, and---” His helmsman tried to reply, his voice trying to make itself understood through the din of cannon blasts and his captain’s thundering screams.

“Give me that!” 

The helmsman was unceremoniously shoved away from his position, the captain manning the ship himself.

“I’ll blast them out of these skies myself! We’re getting behind them, men!” 

The crew furiously loaded the cannons at Baltor’s commands. Surely, this time, they wouldn’t miss their target! For anyone watching from afar, it was ridiculous to see a warship having difficulty shooting down a schooner… and such an aged one at that!

The pride of the Black pirates rested on his shoulders! He gritted his teeth, his thick mustache twitching as he began the manoeuver. 

The Blackbeard had the advantage of size and power… However, it affected its mobility. The schooner lacked none of it, riding the skies with the ease of flying fishes and birds. 

Baltor's eyes widened, realizing too late what his enemy was trying to do, spinning the helm to reposition the ship-- But the smaller sailboat proved too fast and ended up right behind him.

"Captain! They're opening fire!" Yelled one of the gunners. 

They were in no position to fire back and though Baltor might spin the helm as fast as his arms allowed it, he would never turn around in time.

The warship shook as the distinctive explosive sound buried the screams of his crew. The smell of gunpowder and fire filled the air.

"You! Take the helm! Anyone running around on deck, GET MOVING AND STOP THAT FIRE!" Baltor roared his orders left and right.

He lost that battle but damn them, he would NOT lose face! His right-hand man smirked.

"Wow, Captain, looks like you got bent over a barrel again, huh?"

The mockery was soon wiped off the man's face as Baltor grabbed him by the throat.

"You, shut up before I make you walk the plank!" 

The pirate gulped as his captain released him. Turning toward the smaller ship, Baltor gritted his teeth.

"As for you… I swear on the code of the Black Pirates, I'll find who you are and hunt you to the end of these skies! You hear!? NO ONE CROSSES THE BLACKBEARD AND LIVES TO TELL THE TALE!"

* * *

Vyse grinned as he heard loud footsteps. Aika was the first to rush onto the bridge, bouncing with excited energy.

“We did it, Vyse! We sent him running with his tail between his legs!” 

That definitely called for celebration as he bumped fists with her and finished with a high five, just like in Shrine’s Island--

His thoughts were roughly interrupted as he felt Drachma’s fist collide with the back of his head.

“Ow! What did you do that for, Captain?” 

“You idiot! Never let your hands off the helm before the ship makes a full stop!”, he admonished.

Vyse rubbed at his head, wincing. At least this time it wasn’t the metal one, but the man had a powerful hook…

“Haha, yeah Vyse, you idiot! Why don’t you watch what you’re doing? Good thing Cap’n Drachma’s here to keep you in line!” Aika winked at him, grinning mischievously. 

Vyse opened his eyes with a glare.

“Aika you little… Not you too!” 

His friend laughed wholeheartedly, the kind that made it hard for anyone to stay mad for long.

“Haha, sorry, sorry! I couldn’t resist! You just defeated Baltor the Scary, why don’t you lighten up a little bit?”

“Speaking of… I’m gonna check on our charge, ” Mabel realized heading for the deck. 

The merchant didn’t need a signal to return, the Blackbeard leaving the area in smoke was the biggest giveaway of their victory.

The rest of the trip went without incident and Vyse could feel the temperature rising as they sailed into Nasrean skies. 

“Look at that! You can even spot some sand in the wind!” Aika pointed out excitedly. 

They’d heard of Nasr of course, Valua’s neighboring country and long-time rival. It was also the country of origin of Aika’s mother. She had told them stories about the desert, the houses made of raw earth and hump-backed animals people rode to cross the hot sands. 

Aside from those and a few history books they had looted in their travels, some they couldn’t read due to them being written in Nasr’s distinctive alphabet, their knowledge of the desert kingdom stopped there. It made Vyse realize once again how little he had seen.

Protecting the South Dannel Strait, a fleet of Nasr warships awaited. Vyse could identify the morse code from one of them. 

_ Welcome! We will escort you back home. _

Vyse slowed the Little Jack to a stop, allowing the merchant ship to pass on their side. As promised, the Nasrean man slowed down, waiting for them on the deck outside, the two ships closely side by side. 

“Ahmed Bashar…”, Vyse read on the passport. 

From what he understood, this was a merchant type passport issued to the individual instead of covering the ship and crew. 

“Thank you so much once again, young man, for bringing me safely home. May I ask your name?”, the old merchant smiled warmly.

“My name is Vyse, and it’s been a pleasure to escort you sir,” he replied.

If the man picked on the lack of last name in the introduction, he didn’t make mention of it, bowing his head politely, raising it quickly as if remembering something.

“That reminds me… At the Valuan Checkpoint, they will expect to see a Nasrean merchant…”, He stroked his white beard thoughtfully. 

Vyse’s smile froze. ...He really didn’t consider that. 

Gazing at each of them, Ahmed’s gaze stopped on Drachma.

“You’ll do.”

“...Excuse me?”, Drachma raised an eyebrow quizzically. 

The short Nasrean merchant ignored him to look through one of his boxes, mumbling to himself and came back soon after with folded clothes. 

“If we hide that arm, you should look the part,” He said presenting the clothing to Drachma, a traditional beige Nasrean tunic and hat.

Aika’s gaze went from the small scrawny Ahmed to the tall corpulent Drachma, her next words spoken without any filter.

“Wait, how do you have clothing his size?” 

Vyse bit his lip as Aika smiled apologetically when Drachma glared at her. 

“Hoho, simple really. I am a textile merchant and I sell ready-to-wear. ...Consider this part of my thanks.” 

“I’m too old to play these dress up games…”, Drachma grumbled, although Vyse, being next to him, was sure he was the only one who heard it.

Ahmed bowed one last time. 

“I pray for your safe travels, may the Red Moon protect you and enlighten your path.”

They watched as the merchant ship sailed away, joining with the military vessels as they took over to escort him.

Aika leaned over Vyse's shoulders, her eyes sparkling as she looked at their way into Valua. 

"So, that's what a Valuan passport looks like huh…", she breathed.

It felt like they were getting closer and closer to their goals. 

_ “Hang on Dad, we're on our way.” _

* * *

Dyne stared defiantly at the judge, a so-called representative of justice. The mere idea of justice in Valua was both ridiculous and insulting. Handcuffed and not an ally in sight, the captain of the Albatross stood strong.

He had watched as the Valuans destroyed his ship and captured his men one by one. He’d ignored his heart sinking at the sight and surrendered before there could be any senseless bloodshed. 

Vyse, Aika, and the women of the village were safe. It was all that mattered. He wouldn't give his captors the satisfaction of seeing him lose his cool.

"...Under the authority of her Royal Majesty Empress Teodora, and under the divinity of the Yellow Moon, we declare you and your crew guilty of numerous and sinister crimes against the Crown. Smuggling, forgery, looting, manslaughter, theft, vandalism, murder attempt on a royal family member--"

Dyne bit his lower lip, his eyes meeting those of Admiral Alfonso. The man was smirking victoriously as if seeing the pirate on trial would restore all of his honor. His naivety was laughable. If Galcian was still the man he was, he wouldn't let Alfonso's cowardice go unpunished, royal family or not.

Lord Admiral Galcian Pérez, being the one who captured them, was present as well. There was no mockery or sign of gloating in his eyes. He was the very definition of stoicism. How ironic that of all people, Galcian himself was the one who led the attack on Pirate Isle, Dyne thought bitterly. An idle thought murmured to him that the past always seemed to catch up.

The rest of the judge's words seemed like a distant mumble to Dyne until he seemed to be done with those long formalities.

"Your punishment will be beheading at the Coliseum. May the Moons have mercy on your soul. The meeting is adjourned!”

The judge punctuated his words with the bang of his gavel. A Valuan guard roughly grabbed him by the shoulders to lead him back to his cell. On his way, his eyes met with Galcian’s, ignoring Alfonso sneering that his punishment was too generous for a lowborn air pirate. 

“Where is the girl?”, Dyne glared at the Lord Admiral.

“...That is not your concern,  _ Rogue _ ,” Galcian replied, emphasizing his last word.

Dyne smirked.

“That’s right… I lived a blue rogue, and will die like one!” 

“Silence, scum! And get moving!”, the soldier behind him grunted with a shove.

Dyne took a few steps, trying not to lose his balance before straightening himself and walking, not before casting a last glance at the admiral. 

“ _ Who is that girl?… _ ” The thought haunted him all the way back to his cell.


End file.
